Uncertainties Surround Prom

Prom was cancelled for the class of 2021 last year due to the outbreak of COVID-19 with hopes to reschedule the dance hoping the safety concerns would decrease.

“Prom is still being discussed,” activities director Scott Helms said. “We are still looking for options to try and do something special (if possible with the pandemic) for the seniors and juniors.”

There has been no formal statement made to the student body about if prom is still happening in the spring. An overwhelming decrease in hope for the dance is continuing amongst the upperclassmen.

“With everything going on, no junior has bought anything yet,” junior Alyssa Ohm said. “No one thinks prom is going to happen, we all want it to happen.”

The class of 2021 was already preparing for prom before the COVID-19 quarantine began, leaving the ones who spent money on outfits with expensive and never worn outfits.

“If it means I have to wear my dress around my house while I watch rom-coms and cry about not having a prom, then so be it,” senior Haley Jakus said. “I didn’t buy an expensive dress for nothing.”

The concerns with having a prom is that the CDC guidelines warn about having parties and gatherings with people who do not live in the same household. Guidelines also suggest staying six feet away from others and wearing a mask to stop the spread.

“If going to prom means wearing a mask, then I would absolutely wear one,” Jakus said.

Having prom has been an American tradition since the early twentieth century and it has continued to be the moment that high schoolers look forward to and take seriously.

“Prom is a rite of passage,” Ohm said. “Every high schooler has been through it. It’s just a time to dance the night away with your friends and have a good time.”

The lower classman spend two years watching the upperclassmen spend time buying dresses, taking pictures and spending time with classmates before graduating.

“It’s one of the most fun experiences for a high schooler,” Jakus said. “It should be something that everyone deserves to have once in their lives.”

In regards to if prom is actually happening this year for the juniors and seniors, the answer still is being questioned.

The discussion about prom actually happening is being debated. Due to state and CDC guidelines, it may be too risky to celebrate one, but if prom is scheduled in May like previous years, the upperclassmen can still have hope for a couple more months.