Junior Prom or Not?

If you have ever watched an American movie about high school, then you’re probably aware of the prom that happens for juniors and the seniors towards the end of every year. Just like the SATs, football games, and a prevalent caffeine addiction, prom is a staple of the “high school experience” in America. Despite its popularity, each year there is a portion of students that choose not to attend, either because they don’t want to dress up, don’t like to dance, or already have prior commitments, which is part of the reason why this year, the juniors of Hunterdon Central have decided to have a school-wide vote. The choices; Junior Prom or a Great Adventure trip instead.

Now, for those who had their heart set on attending prom this year, just the possibility of not having prom is infuriating, especially considering Junior prom as well as various other events were canceled due to COVID last year, many just want a normal school year. “I would like to wear a fancy dress, I can go to great adventure anytime I want,” says Amelia Wolfe, an 11th grade student. Like many students, Wolfe believes that prom could serve as a much needed return to normalcy; despite wearing masks, students would still have the opportunity to dress up, go out with their friends, and have a good time. 

Although prom is a prominent tradition in high school, the question still must be asked; is it really more fun than a trip to Great Adventure with my friends from class? When you consider it, celebrating the end of the year by leaving school early for a theme park could be much more enjoyable than attending a fancy event in a mask and pretending to like dancing. This is what the other side of the junior class believes. Even though prom is considered by many to be a “necessary tradition,” why blindly follow this custom instead of considering other possibilities?

For this reason, the student body is eagerly awaiting the results of the latest survey issued by the Student Government. A second questionnaire was emailed out weeks ago and the results have yet to be announced. Of course, the process of obtaining a fair, democratic vote through email and Google Form has proven to be difficult as well as confusing. On October 13th, it was announced that the results of the first survey favored a trip to Great Adventure; however some students pointed out that the vote was flawed, since the number of students who voted for an indoor prom and an outdoor prom were greater than the number of students who voted for great adventure. Therefore, the majority of juniors did want some type of prom. This is what led to the recent recount, which has since been closed and is currently being counted. Technical difficulties caused by Google Forms and a few students voting multiple times has slowed the process down. In turn, it will still be a while before we know what the results and next steps are. 

The votes are continuing to be counted, and the fact remains that the race is close. Neither side has wavered, and everyone seems to be in full support of one or the other. “I’m just trying to make everyone happy, but honestly it’s difficult,” comments Junior Class president Rayna Tyler. The majority of juniors just want an opportunity for a good time. Hopefully, in the end, the students who voted for the opposite of what won will still be able to enjoy the junior activity for the end of the year.