Briar Woods High School Prom tickets are officially on sale, and the SCA are urging juniors and seniors to buy their tickets now so that they can host Prom this year. Most students have heard of Prom for all their lives, whether it’s through parents or friends or through television, but nobody seems to know what it truly means and where it came from.
The concept of coming-out parties, traditionally held to celebrate the transition of young people into adulthood, have been around since ancient Greece. Over hundreds of years, this idea transformed into something new in every culture, and one of these transitions led to the 18th century ideas of balls and dances, specifically debutante balls for young women.
Prom in the United States was first established in late 19th century Ivy League colleges, and rapidly made its way to high schools throughout the early 20th century. The mid-1900’s came to be Prom’s golden age, and were held more similarly to those today, in hotels with Prom queens and kings.
Over the years, Prom has morphed into a lavish celebration, with traditions like Prom court, spirit weeks, after-parties, and promposals. The BWHS SCA intends to carry on this celebration, although not many students have shown interest this year.
Cooper Carroll, Co-President of the SCA says, “Prom is not just a dance,” with Jaden Keltz, also Co-President, adds on that Prom “is kind of a big deal because through generations, people go to big dances, and it’s kind of a dying breed and we’re trying to keep it and make it fun.”
Rylee Arensdorf, Executive Representative for the SCA, believes that without Prom, students are just “not getting the full experience” of high school.
Keltz’s mention of it being a “dying breed” refers to the lackluster anticipation and support for Prom this year. The venue for the event costs $33,000, of which the SCA has only raised $8,000. The SCA has urged students to buy the pre-sale tickets, which are unavailable after Feb. 10, in order to raise the funds necessary to have Prom. The pre-sale tickets, which is a new option for students, are $65 and available to buy online. In the event that Prom cannot happen, students will be refunded if they bought their tickets through the pre-sale.
“We know that [the tickets] could be steep for some students that don’t have the money to buy it, so we’re just making this cheaper,” says Carroll.
This year’s prom theme is Secret Garden, which the members of the SCA are very excited about. Este Saliter, Co-Social Media Chair for the SCA, firmly believes that the venue is “going to be really pretty” and that the students “can take a lot of pictures.”
In addition to the normal food and drink stands, there will also be a root beer float stand and a photo booth for students to enjoy. But perhaps the biggest thing the members are excited for is the music. The SCA have secured two deejays, seniors from Potomac Falls High School, to deejay for Prom, and they have maintained that these deejays are going to be amazing and tie Prom together.
Keltz says, “We have good music, a great venue, and good vibes,” while Saliter adds that “it’ll be a night to remember.”
Nina Eddinger, the SCA teacher advisor, says, “We want the juniors and seniors to be very excited for Prom and have an amazing Prom and have that memory.”
