Spartans enjoy a delightful prom at the Studios at Overland Crossing. photo by Phoebe Briney
The class of 2018 enjoyed a lovely night at prom and after prom.
Spring is finally upon us, and with the season comes high school prom. Prom comes and goes every year, and it is one of the most exciting and sought after events of students’ high school careers.
Thomas Jefferson High School’s 2018 senior prom was anticipated for many months and has been a work-in-progress since 2014. TJ’s leadership class, the class of 2018, and the class sponsors Jon Poole and Matt Santambrogio have put in hours of fundraising geared towards raising money for the big event. The dedication that the senior class has put into these fundraising opportunities finally shined through on prom night. Tickets were only $25 for a couple and $20 for a single, which is much less expensive than the average prom ticket.
Prom was held at the Studios at Overland Crossing, where the event was decorated in gorgeous lights that hung from the ceiling and draped down the walls. A DJ blasted music from his booth above, an artist drew caricatures, a photo wall lit up the entrance, and anyone could enjoy cupcakes from Milk and Cake’s dessert display. There were also delicious TJ themed “mocktails,” including drinks such as a “TJ Sunrise” and “Spartan Spritzer.” Thanks to senior Avery Hericks, a slideshow of images featuring almost all of the 2018 seniors played on the television screens during the dance. Everything at the dance led up to the announcement of prom royalty.
The 2018 prom king and queen were selected by students via an online survey. Seniors Agustin Aguilar and Nadia Richard were this year’s recipients. Their names were announced as the winners of the royal prom court and they were given sashes at the dance. Richard commented, “Winning prom queen made me feel closer to my class. When I won I was surprised people actually voted for me because of how nervous I was before they announced my name.” Being nominated for prom court is an exciting yet nerve wracking honor, but once the nominees received their crowns, all nerves went away and they felt as if they were on cloud nine. “When I was picked as prom king it felt great because everyone was so happy for me. It was the best day I ever had,” Aguilar explained. Everyone was so excited for the prom royalty; when their names were announced, the crowd clapped and cheered and the two enjoyed a dance together.
The time leading up to prom can be just as exciting as the night itself. At TJ, the student leadership class organized a spirit week prior to the dance. Workout Monday, Twin Tuesday, Beach Wednesday, Jersey Thursday, and TJ Friday were all filled with fun and engaging activities such as dodgeball, a pep rally, and opportunities for photos in the photobooth. Junior Gracey Jarecke explained, “The leadership class did everything we could to make it a fun week leading up to prom.” All of the exciting events allowed for the week leading up to prom to be fun-filled and memorable for the seniors.
Prom ended at 11 p.m., and afterwards, all of the students made their way back to TJ for an incredible after prom. Going along with prom’s theme of “kings and queens,” the school was decorated like a castle. The entrance to the building was masked as a drawbridge arching over a moat filled with “dangerous creatures.” To the left, next to the cafeteria, the castle’s garden featured an array of food fit for royalty. The interior of the school was covered in hand-painted stone wallpaper. To the right, next to the auditorium, the dungeon exhibited a lounge area and a throne for photos. Pictures could also be taken in the photobooth placed outside of the garden. The gym was transformed into a palace playroom with giant tricycles, ping pong tables, a velcro wall, scooters, an inflatable obstacle course, a casino, and cornhole boards. Throughout the night, the parent chaperones gave away a variety of prizes including a mini-fridge, gift cards, headphones, hammocks, and concert tickets.
Overall, prom and after prom made for a perfect night for this year’s seniors. The class of 2018 will remember the incredible memories, laughter, and joys of senior prom forever. The juniors have a lot to look forward to next year.
