Memories Made Together

The shuffling of feet, the swish of dresses gliding across the floor, laughter echoing through the pavilion, the thump of music. That is what prom is and more, but prom does not begin on the dance floor. It builds slowly through the weeks with spirit week, school-wide activities and Powderpuff.

In the weeks leading up to prom, the mood began to shift as students felt lighter, conversations turned into plans, and the countdown to summer became impossible to ignore. For many students, this time of year brings a mix of anticipation and energy that is hard to describe.

“It’s exciting!” senior Sydney Murphy said.

These feelings grew stronger as the week continued, especially as Powderpuff arrived. Practices, although short, were intense, allowing teams to quickly come together and learn the game.

“You have to pick your priorities and try to simplify everything down to help the girls understand the ideas and rules,” said Mr. Ketcham, who coached the senior girls’ team.

Even though it was a challenge to prepare in such limited time, the game brought out friendly competition among upperclassmen, creating a chaotic but fun atmosphere.

“During Powderpuff there were a lot more people and a lot more energy overall. The large group of students cheering and supporting the upperclassmen kept the energy high as it got later in the night,” Maddy Nakata said.

For many students, Powderpuff was less about the game and more about the experience.

“I want to do as many classic high school activities as I can before graduating,” junior Ana Waters said.

Many students felt the year was quickly coming to an end.

“It feels like there is a lot of nervousness from the senior class about graduation, as well as a lot of students who just don’t care about classes as we get closer to graduation,” senior Ashton Elder said.

Despite the stress of upcoming end-of-year events, prom was still a major milestone and celebration for many students.

“Prom is the quintessential school dance that everybody always talks about after they graduate. It’s more exclusive because it’s for upperclassmen. It’s also a celebration of the end of the year,” Elder said.

For some, the most meaningful parts of prom happened before the dance even started.

“Getting ready with my mom — she always does my hair and makeup, which is a really fun bonding time for us. I love my mom and it is so fun. She is able to be so creative and make me beautiful,” Waters said.

Even amid all the aspects of the dance people got to enjoy, the best part always ended up being the people they got to experience it with.

“Being with my girlfriend, having a good time at the dance — but after prom is usually the most fun part of the night,” Elder said.

After prom gave students a different kind of experience to finish off the night — or in this case, start the morning.

“I loved after prom. The rides were really neat even though the bowling was not great,” Elder said.

For many, prom holds deeper meaning, especially for those in the spotlight. Seniors Mia Russell and Demetrius Maldonado were voted prom king and queen.

“I kind of knew we had a good chance of winning, but hearing them say our names was still so exciting and shocking!” Russell said.

For Russell, the moment was more than just a title — it was all the little things it meant, a memory she and Maldonado will never forget.

“Being prom queen means a lot to me. I feel like I’m fulfilling my movie dreams, and it just means a lot that people liked us enough to vote for us,” Russell said.

At the end of it all, prom was not just one perfect night. It was a mix of excitement, stress, fun and unpredictability.

Waters described the experience as “a whirlwind of emotions that was fun and also the most anxiety-inducing experience of my life.”