On Saturday, May 1, 2021, Washington Township High School hosted the junior prom at  Tom Brown stadium.

Due to CDC recommendations and state health guidelines, holding a prom indoors was not possible, so the prom-planning committee decided the stadium was the perfect outdoor alternative. This alternative also happened to be cheaper, with tickets priced at $75, which is about $4 less than the usual price. When purchasing tickets, juniors could select which friends they would like to sit with, and the seating arrangements were based on those selections.

The attendees sat at tables placed on the track field. The set-up was deceivingly simple, though, according to Ms. Carol Costello, a member of the prom-planning committee.

“Setting up this year was definitely a challenge…When you go to the Crowne Plaza or the Sheraton- everything is set up and we tried to duplicate it onto the field. With fancy bathrooms as well as lighting everything had to be ordered besides tables and chairs, tablecloths and even salt and pepper shakers.”

Dinner consisted of pasta, salad, chicken, and many other options. Dancing took place on the AstroTurf football field. Many colored lights were set up around the dancing and eating areas, giving the dance an upbeat mood. The DJ played many song requests and popular artists for students, including hits from Taylor Swift, One Direction, and Justin Bieber.

Juniors who went to the prom this year left smiling, and many said that they had a great time.

Kayla Cavanaugh said that she and her friends “were all a little doubtful about prom this year, but we all ended up having a fun and exciting night!”

Although setting up prom under pandemic restrictions was a difficult task, the effort paid-off.