Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School’s prom took place on Thursday, May 22nd, at 6:30 p.m. The night’s agenda included dancing, singing, and photos. However, as excitement for the night built, so did something else: annoyance, complaints, and even disappointment.
These negative reactions were caused by a recent change of plans for the night. Instead of having two separate events for juniors and seniors, the dance was to be combined into one event. Additionally, partygoers would be escorted to and from the prom in coach buses, a change from previous years.
The change in transportation is an attempt to prevent students from leaving the prom early, as they have done in years past.
Junior Hailey Ireland says she and her peers were feeling slightly annoyed about the buses, because they would prefer to drive to the prom by themselves.
Junior Evelyn Bernard states, “I don’t really like this idea, because I think it’s nice to have time to ride with your date to the venue.”
However, when reflecting on another school’s recent prom, which she attended using buses, Ireland admitted, “I went to a different prom as well and took a bus there, and it was very comfortable and it worked out well.”
Bernard also adds to this, stating that it wasn’t all bad because “I know where they’re coming from and I think it’ll be a lot safer and it will make people stay at prom longer.”
Senior class advisor and school counselor Mr. Mathew Fitzgibbons confirms that the buses being used will be coach buses, ensuring comfort for the party attendants. Despite the annoyance towards this change, it provides a safe, easy, and comfortable way of transportation.
Hamilton-Wenham is, infamously, a small school, with 107 attending students in this year’s senior class and 107 juniors. Although the combined prom may be seen as a nuisance to some, it will also create a more vibrant prom scene, with a total of 238 students expected to attend this year.
Bernard shares her excitement, saying, “I think it’ll be fun having a lot of people there because our grades are really small. And the juniors and seniors are definitely close. Those are my really good friends.”
Ireland agrees, stating that “a big group is always fun”.
Fitzgibbons hopes that “having one prom would build a school community. Instead of having two different grades doing their separate things, having one combined prom, which is because we’re already so small, and bringing classes together would be a great thing to do.”
Another benefit of this change is that combined classes also come with combined fundraising. This means that for future proms, classes may be able to afford larger venues, better catering, and exciting DJs. It also means that proms for individuals will be less expensive.
Fitzgibbons notes that “the price of prom is crazy expensive. And you gotta think about it, girls do the dresses and then makeup, and the boys get the tuxes, and the cost of everything was a lot. In a lot of cases, since we’re so small, kids were going to two proms, and the price is getting pretty crazy too.”
However, to some students, the plan still has some flaws. Juniors Hailey Ireland and Margot Bryce Morris share that while they feel excited, they also understand that seniors may be feeling a little disappointed.
Bryce Morris adds that she “can see how it can be annoying for the seniors because they kind of want their last moment in high school to be together.”
Bernard shares her thoughts as well, stating, “I do think that if I had to choose, I would choose to do separate proms, just because I think it makes it more special.”
She also expresses her own disappointment about next year, when she will be a senior. “As seniors, you definitely want to spend a lot of time with your grade. It’s a special time, so having to share it is kind of annoying.”
After acknowledging these feelings, Fitzgibbons encourages students to embrace the change, saying, “I understand that [you’re feeling upset] because that’s always been the way it’s been done. But new traditions are starting, and I think the kids will love it.”
