VOLUME 16, ISSUE 8
JUNE 2022
Prom In Paradise!
The Memorable and Iconic Night Makes a Return
By Anna Kim, Keira Kinnier, and Nora Rentschler
Photo: Albert Tang / Students danced the night away surrounded by friends and tropical decor. This year’s Maggie Walker prom was a huge success! It was the perfect place for students to hang out with friends, scream along to music, and forget about the stress of school for a few hours. This year's theme was Prom in Paradise, which was displayed throughout the venue. From the color of the lights to the various decorations, the tropical paradise element was all around.
A ton of hard work and effort made this memorable high school experience possible for our juniors and seniors. Prom is one of our seniors' last high school events, so it is a big night ending their week of AP exams. Since this was the first normal school year back from COVID, prom planning had to go smoothly to allow everyone to have a good time but still be mindful of the spread of the virus. There were months of fundraising and organizing decorations and lights that went into being able to pull this incredible event off.
When asked about her thoughts on planning prom, Brenna Luczak, one of the junior class officers, said, “It was a lot of pressure, but nice to watch it all come together.” Carson Wang, another junior class officer, noted, “I was really excited to see everyone having a great time on the dance floor.” Wang also stated that his favorite part about planning prom was putting together the senior slideshow, a compilation of old photos from the senior class. “Seeing the seniors laugh every time a new photo came up was super heartwarming,” he added. The junior class sponsor, Ms. Amy Maxey Suy, said that after seeing prom come together, “it made me really happy. I was happy to see smiles on the kids' faces, students' faces.”
The formality of prom has always made it unique and more memorable than homecoming. Everybody dresses in elegant dresses and sleek tuxedos for one very special night. Granted, students get dressed up for homecoming, but “prom has a more sophisticated vibe, and people generally try to put more effort into it,” said Cornelia McDowell (‘22). Christian Walsh (‘23) also describes his time at homecoming, where he “ended up barefoot on the field throwing a frisbee with some friends.”
Homecoming can be seen more like an event for the freshmen and sophomores to feel more welcome in high school with a fun school dance, which can be less significant to the upperclassmen because they have a prom. Cari Mitchell (‘22) stated, “Everyone is a lot more connected at prom since it’s mostly juniors and seniors.” Mitchell also mentioned, “A lot of people know each other, so there's more mingling as opposed to people staying within their groups.” Although homecoming is a great event for all students to enjoy, the juniors and seniors find aspects of prom to be more exciting.
Seniors and juniors use prom to relax and step away from the stress of exams and the end of the school year. Riley Surratt (‘23) said that “it really helped take [her] mind off of school and exams” and also commented on the prom’s setting, stating, “The venue looked so cute with the Prom in Paradise theme!”
This appreciation for the prom's venue was shared amongst many others, including Ananya Gomatam (‘23), who thought that “the venue was beautiful and the music was amazing.” Many people enjoyed hanging out with friends at prom, and Zak Kuhn (‘23) expanded on that, saying, “My best memory was hanging out in a non-school setting with friends as well as seeing some old friends from other schools, as we were able to bring guests this year.’
Many seniors who went to prom last year commented on how they enjoyed it being indoors this year compared to the previous year. McDowell noted, “Prom last year was outside, and it was hot,” but this year at prom, “you had the opportunity to take advantage of the air conditioning.” Quinn Neary (‘22) stated, “Overall, it was a great experience, and it’s really nice hanging out with everyone and busting some moves on the dance floor.”
Prom creates a lot of memories for the students that attend. Mitchell’s favorite memory from prom was “when they play songs like the Cupid Shuffle, the Wobble, and the Cha Cha Slide because it gets everyone on the dance floor and helps people who don't like dancing loosen up and enjoy prom.” Another senior, Owen Sibal, said that his favorite memory was “screaming the lyrics to “Hey Ya!” at the top of my lungs.” The seniors this year enjoyed the coolness of being inside and still ended up covered in sweat after jamming out on the dance floor.
Prom court and the senior slideshow are two great traditions at MLWGS. These final traditions are the perfect way to end the night. This year's prom court was Carson Wang (‘23) and Ryan Wenn (‘23) for the junior class and MJ Jebo (‘22) and Tilly Alley (‘22) for the senior class. Wang stated, “Neither of us [Carson or Ryan] expected to be chosen as prom royalty, but the surprise was nevertheless an honor!” When asked about being crowned prom royalty, Jebo shared that “it was really fun!” Alley agreed with this statement, adding on “I would not have thought that was where my senior prom was going to go, but it was pretty cool!”
The crowning of the court happens right after the senior slideshow. The senior slideshow is something the junior class officers put together and present near the night's end. This slideshow holds memories from seniors throughout their four years of high school and helps them end the night on a reminiscent note. McDowell said that the slideshow “was short and sweet, and it showcased everyone in one picture or another, so that was the most fun for me.”
Maggie Walker’s prom this year brought a sense of joy for the students attending, allowing them to let loose and simply have fun. From the fantastic dance moves to the amazing senior slideshow, it was an incredible all-around experience. Every person's hard work and dedication in producing this tropical utopia truly paid off.
Photo: Albert Tang