There’s something about prom that everyone looks forward to: the dresses, the glitter, and glamor. Seniors wait four years to go to prom and to have this big event put on especially for them. If juniors were to be allowed to prom, this special event would not be the same experience for seniors and would lose some of its meaning.
“In the city of Santa Barbara, prom has traditionally been only for seniors,” said Mr. Paul Hiracheta, director of activities and math teacher. “There has been conversation about opening prom to juniors as well, but, ultimately, it has remained closed to seniors due to the special nature of an event so close to graduation.”
For many, prom is the culmination of the high school experience and a rite of passage. It is something that seniors wait for and dream about and there should be some events just for seniors to enjoy without the rest of the school crashing their twelfth grade party. While I generally do not believe that all juniors should be allowed to go to prom, there are some exceptions. For example, if a senior is dating a junior and would like to take them as their date, I think the junior should be able to go to prom.But in general, juniors should not be allowed to go to prom.
“I think that juniors should wait for their moment for prom because it’s supposed to be for seniors graduating and moving on,” said junior Olivia Barrios. “I am really excited for prom and I’m willing to wait for senior year because the waiting is more exciting when it’s going to be just one year that you can go.”
Many people go to Homecoming every year and this year was no different with 1,038 tickets sold. The first time you go to homecoming is a completely new experience, and for many freshmen, it kicks off their high school career with loud music and dancing. However, as you progress through high school, you go in with much better knowledge of what to expect. The DJ will likely be fine, the dresses bright and enthusiastic, and the line will be long so either get there really early or late. Suffice to say, the knowledge makes it less exciting even if it is still fun. Thus, prom could lose some of its appeal the more that students go as the expectations are already there, making the night much less magical.
Prom ticket prices are sky high this year with a cost of $90 with a Royal Card and $100 without. By allowing juniors to attend prom, these prices could be lowered which would make the dance just a little bit more accessible for students. In addition, many people continue to go to homecoming year after year and find it just as fun which shows that prom could still be special if it was opened up to juniors and seniors.
However, the rite of passage is something that would not be replicated if prom was opened up to both juniors and seniors. Also, ticket prices may not be affected with the addition of juniors to the dance as a larger venue would be needed and may cost more money and increase ticket prices.
“If cost variables were fixed, then yes, more people mean cheaper tickets,” said Hiracheta. “But, more people means more security, more parking, more food, and more supplies”
Overall, juniors should not be allowed to go to prom as it is a senior event and should be left as a celebration of their time in high school and to the futures that await them. To all the seniors going to prom this year, I wish you the best time and to all the juniors, I will see you next year on the prom dance floor.
