SV will host a prom for juniors and seniors on Saturday, May 15, after many months of uncertainty regarding cancellations and postponements. The highly anticipated prom will take place in the football stadium from 8 pm to 11 pm. 

     “I was super surprised but extremely excited [when I found out that] we were able to [have a prom] and have it with both juniors and seniors like it was prior to Covid. It gives us the opportunity to get dressed up and pretty together, which we don’t really have another opportunity to do in high school,” senior Rachel Chomicki said. 

     Prom is going to look noticeably different this year. Usually, the school hosts prom at a local venue designed for formal events, such as Rolling Hills Country Club, but due to safety precautions that must be taken to protect students from Covid, the dance will be outdoors in the stadium.

     “It’s definitely going to be different because we’ve never had an outdoor prom before. We’re trying to play into the theme of being outside- being at a football stadium- so that’s very different. Where usually I can make the event any theme that I want to, [this year] I kinda have to work with what I have,” prom organizer Michelle Vangaasbeck said.  “If you were to think ‘Grease’ or ‘Varsity Blues,’ if they were to have prom- because back in the day they used to have proms at their football fields- it’s vintage, but it’s kind of hard to have a lot of decor since i’ts this wide-open space.”

     Some students have concerns and hesitations about the issues the field may cause. However abnormal it may be, the venue will ensure the safety of promgoers and give the dance a personalized SV charm. 

    “It definitely made me question my choice of shoes as it will be on the football field, and I’m a little worried about the grass being wet on our dresses. I think it would have been a lot nicer to have it in an actual venue, but I would much rather have it on the field to keep everyone safe and allow us to have a prom,” Chomicki said. 

     Prom organizers are working hard to ensure that the event will be as special as possible despite the circumstances. Some of the plans are characteristic of a typical prom, so students who have been to a prom before will still be satisfied, but special things are being planned for this specific prom, such as a dance floor covering the field.

     “We will have a DJ, and we have a dance floor because obviously, I didn’t want girls’ heels to be getting stuck in the field. We’ll have food- we always do desserts because we figure you guys go out for dinner,” Vangaasbeck said.  “We’ll have strung lights, and we are able to turn off the big football stadium lights so we may turn off one or none or whatever we need to make sure we still have this intimate [setting]- it won’t be like you’ll be on a stage. Shutterbooth is coming, and they’ll have the booth for your normal fun pictures with props and stuff, but there will also be a roamer who goes around and take[s] pictures that you can then text to your phones.” 

   Students should prepare for the prom as they normally would. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ucpsathletics.com/sunvalleytickets until May 7, and guest forms can be found outside Vangaasbeck’s room. If the weather is not suitable for a dance on May 15, the rain date for prom is May 22.. Tickets this year are significantly less expensive than previous years at only $25 per ticket, but expenses for outfits, transportation, and meals can add up.

     “[Prom is] where you get to dress up with all your friends and go to a really big event,” senior Caroline Early said. “I’m just going to get my friends to do my hair and makeup so I don’t have to spend more money.”

      Part of what makes prom so memorable is that it doesn’t just start and end at the school. From getting ready with your friends, to taking pictures with your dates, to enjoying a nice dinner with your group, and then partying afterward, prom becomes a night-long event.

     “I’m going with Lauryn Fraction and Brianne Bensavage, and we have dates that don’t go to this school,” Early said. “We’re probably going to go to dinner before, and then after, find an after-party.”

     After a long 13 months of having opportunities stripped from them because of Covid, students will have a prom to experience some sense of normalcy. The dance will serve as a way to celebrate and close off a tough school year.

     “Last Friday I went out to the football field during lunch and all the students were out there just enjoying life and for a moment it really felt normal, and it made me choke up a little bit to see just how happy everybody was,” Vangaasbeck said. “That’s what I’m excited for – just seeing normalcy, or as close as we can get it, and seeing the students finally enjoy something that they haven’t had in two years. Just the joy and the excitement and the let down of the shoulders. Finally, something to look forward to.”