Right before the intensive AP testing season, Carlmont High School students stepped into a night of elegance and fun at prom — dancing, laughing, eating, and forgetting about their stresses for the night.
This year, the theme for prom was “Golden Gala,” characterized by shimmering fabrics, glowing lights, and sparkling decorations. The dance itself took place at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, which provided a unique array of science, art, and human perception activities for students to try.
“I feel like I’m at a party too,” said Angela Harris, a school psychologist for the district who staffed the event. “I’ve come to the Exploratorium before, but I thought the dance would be in a special auditorium. I didn’t realize you were really in the Exploratorium.”
Traditionally, according to History.com, the semiformal prom, short for “promenade,” mimicked the debutante balls of high society and was meant to teach students proper etiquette. Over time, it has evolved into a more formal dance available to high school juniors and seniors.
“Prom in particular, you’re sort of celebrating the accomplishment to come. It’s really important that students get to spend time together outside of doing schoolwork,” Harris said.
A staple of prom is the tradition of electing a prom court — the prom king, prom queen, prom prince, and prom princess.
“I didn’t think I would win, but I got blessed. I’m very grateful for the people who voted for me, and it’s a great spirit we have at Carlmont, especially at sporting events and prom,” said senior Keith Nguyen, this year’s prom king.
Senior Audrey Gong was voted as this year’s prom queen, while juniors Nicolaas Foks and Jaela Gutierrez Pasion were voted as prom prince and prom princess.
“Chanting for the other candidates who also won made the moment feel less about the individual title and more about celebrating a special moment as a class,” Gong said. “As a senior, we cherish moments like these 10 times more and hold them dear to our hearts.”
But beyond the crowns and sashes, the glimmering dresses and ironed suits, and the blasting music on the dance floor, what a lot of students don’t see is the hours and hours that go into planning and organizing prom.
“Everyone shows up, and everything’s laid out; the food is out, the DJ and venue are ready. People just show up and enjoy the event, which I’m glad they do. But if they were to stop for a minute and think about the amount of time and work that goes into doing one thing, they might appreciate it even more,” said assistant principal Grant Steunenberg.
Staff members are an integral part of the organization behind prom. From the teachers who supervise the dance after work hours to the staff serving food to the photobooth technicians, without staff, students would not be able to attend prom.
“Some students from other schools can be disrespectful. They’ll take the backdrop down or try to press start without me,” said Mateo Delossantos, a technician under San Francisco Photo Booths. “But Carlmont is not like that. Carlmont is very active socially, so I was able to have conversations with a bunch of the students.”
Amid AP testing, final exams, and other academic stressors, prom can act as a night where students are able to forget about their worries and focus on having fun instead.
“If you don’t have celebrations as you’re going through life, then it makes the work you do as you become an adult feel meaningless,” Steunenberg said. “Things like prom, winter formal, and homecoming, all those events are celebrations of just being alive.”
