While prom night may often seem like an effortless dance, with the shining lights, music, decorations and sparkling dresses, these factors distract from the long weeks or sometimes months of preparation behind it. 

Prom is often viewed as one of the most memorable nights for high school students, but behind the scenes, students, teachers and staff work tirelessly to make this a special night. They work on every detail from organizing music, setting up decorations and deciding themes.

“We brainstorm the overall vibe of the prom. Then we narrow it down to our top two by rating each one,” said Julia Lipscomb, prom committee adviser. “Once the vibe is determined, we brainstorm the name using words that will express the chosen vibe.”

Although planning for prom is an exciting project, collaborating with large groups can be challenging when they have to overcome certain obstacles, especially since the prom committee is composed of both staff and students.

“One challenge that we face is finding the time for everyone on the prom committee to be available to meet or to find enough time to work through some of the decision making,” said Lipscomb.

But regardless of these challenges, many volunteers say that working with the creative aspects of prom and organizing an important event for the school makes the work worthwhile.

“I enjoy decorating for parties and have fun designing around a theme. Prom is a pretty large scale event so each year I learn something new to make it better the next year,” said Lipscomb.

Before students walk through the doors of prom, teachers also play an important role when prepping for the big day. While students are having fun celebrating, teachers are in charge of supervising, checking tickets and making sure the event runs smoothly and a memorable experience for everyone.

“But really, the most fun is when everything comes together in the end and we see all of our plans come to fruition,” said Lipscomb.