Another casualty that can be attributed to COVID-19 is the 2020 prom and post-prom. Due to social distancing limitations and guidelines, the 2019-20 prom has been canceled. However, the event will still happen in a different form. Because the formal prom cannot take place it has been decided that there will be a virtual prom instead.
“The decision for a virtual prom/post-prom was made because we felt the kids deserved something,” Principal Mr. Todd Mueller said. “They already have had so much taken away, and we felt badly that they lost prom/post-prom as well. Plus post-prom had already purchased many of the prizes for the kids.”
Details on the virtual prom are still being worked out, but not everything will be different. It will still include a DJ, as well as live prom coronation. Post-prom will even have a virtual hypnotist and prize giveaways.
“The sad thing is that you get pumped up for it in school,” prom sponsor Mrs. Kari Bulgrin said. “And we weren’t able to have that. We were just getting ready to hand out the invitations, so now I have 600 invitations ready to be delivered that aren’t.”
Through all of this, the prom committee has put in a ton of hard work that never paid off. This year’s committee is made up of juniors Morgan Sangl, Chloe Serfass, Kailee Klostermeyer, Kassidy Oliver and Shaina Russell.
“I was really excited about our theme,” Mrs. Bulgrin said. “Juniors always help with the theme and we chose a 1920s Great Gatsby theme because of the year 2020. And because the juniors read Great Gatsby at the end of the school year and it was going to fit right in.”
Unfortunately, the theme will not be seen by students because there is no way to take the decorations and put them in students’ homes. The goal is to make the virtual prom as similar to the real one as possible.
“As with everything else we are sorry we won’t be able to have a traditional prom/post-prom,” Mr. Mueller said. “But we hope they do enjoy what will be provided. They are currently still figuring out what that will look like, but hopefully, the kids enjoy it because that’s what they deserve.”
It is unfortunate that the 2020 prom has been canceled due to COVID 19, but it has been done for the students’ safety. Hopefully, the virtual prom will provide an adequate substitution for the students.