By: Riley Holles
Spring is in the air at Quaker Valley, and that means it is almost time for the much-anticipated senior prom! After last year’s prom was canceled due to COVID-19, it became one of the many missing pieces lost at the end of the school year. Although it was heart-breaking, it makes this year’s prom even more exciting because the magic will be back stronger than ever. That being said, there are some changes that come with prom this year, since many safety precautions are required to make the event possible.
The prom will take place on Friday, May 14, 2021, and will consist of both the Promenade/Grand March at Chuck Knox Stadium and prom at Pittsburgh Marriott North Cranberry. The Promenade will take place at 5:30 p.m., and each senior is allowed to bring two guests to watch them walk. Additionally, The event will be live-streamed so that everyone can take part in the fun. It is important to note that if the weather does not allow for outdoor activities, the Promenade will be canceled and students will go straight to the prom.
The prom will start at 7:00 p.m. and end at 10:00 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Red Carpet Gala” which was decided by the senior members of the prom committee: Maya Smith, Francesca Courtney, and Anne Stanley, with the help of prom sponsors Mrs. Tamra Rosa and Mr. Jason Brindza. Mrs. Rosa explained that the girls “volunteered to be part of this year’s prom committee and worked together with others to come up with the theme.” Before the activities start, a buffet dinner will be served by the hotel staff, which will be the only time students are permitted to remove their masks. Another important safety precaution is that only Quaker Valley seniors are allowed to attend the prom. This means that no juniors, sophomores, freshmen, or outside guests will be allowed to attend. Mrs. Rosa said, “Because of capacity limits at our venue, we had to make the decision to have a seniors-only prom.” Although this may be disappointing, it is important to remember all of the hard work that the committee and sponsors have put in to make this event possible. Mrs. Rosa wants the students to know that she and Mr. Brindza “are hopeful that next year we will be able to return to doing things the way we have always done them. While we know that not everyone is happy with the decisions and changes we have had to make, we are working hard to keep everyone safe and still provide our seniors with a night they won’t soon forget. Mr. Brindza and I would like to thank our administration, especially Mrs. Riccobelli and Mrs. Bator, for their help in the planning process this year. It certainly wasn’t easy.”
