Prom is the so-called “nights of nights” according to our High School Musical fantasy. But for the class of 2021, there will be no chance to live out this classic high school experience. The class of 2021’s junior prom was postponed until senior year, and with COVID restrictions still in place, the prom has been officially canceled. The class of 2022 is experiencing similar issues, with their prom being postponed to their senior year as well. Many students have unanswered questions about the logistics of why prom can’t be held this year. With all the money spent on dresses and tuxedos, students were respectfully upset by this unexpected turn of events. 

“Not only is prom an indoor gathering with 250+ people–it is against state law right now,” says Grace Scott, class of 2021 president. “It would be impossible to plan such an event, even if COVID restrictions were to loosen by the end of the year, on such late notice.” 

Many students have proposed the idea of having a prom outside on Scituate High School’s turf field. However, the size of our prom is still too large–even for an outdoor gathering, under state regulations. 

“The only way we could sidestep this regulation is if we were able to have the event during school hours,” says Scott. “Even if administrators did approve this idea, it would be difficult considering hair, makeup, getting into tuxes and dresses, and getting it all done during the day.” In addition, since the fields are all brand new, there would be no food or drink allowed, so the “turf prom” would be a dinner-less, drink-less, dance during the day. The same logic applies to the junior prom for the class of 2022, and why their prom won’t be held until next year. 

“I hope much isn’t different between a junior and senior prom,” says SHS English teacher Cailin Reilly, who is the faculty advisor for the Class for 2022. When asked about masks and social distancing, Reilly said, “I think this summer will be an indicator of whether or not it will look much different.” She added that the class is putting the prom off to the last possible second to make it as enjoyable as possible: “We’ll still have a whole year to see what happens, and having an indoor-outdoor space also works in our favor.”

Class of 2022 president Celia Rees shared on the student government social media page that the new prom date is set for April 29th, 2022, at the Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston, MA. Rees commented, “We were lucky to find a space big enough to accommodate our huge class size.” This has been a concern for many school events, but prom has been drastically affected by class size this year because of Covid restrictions. Rees went on to say she believes “our class deserves something special and an extra great senior year after everything that’s been canceled or taken this past year.” Rees is very excited about how prom will look for the 2022 class next year, and wants to make it a night for everyone to remember. 

With seniors feeling disappointed about missing out on fundamental high school experiences, there is still some hope. 

“Our dinner dance time and venue are held for May,” says Dr. Lisa Maguire, principal at Scituate High School. “If their capacity allows us to go, we’re going.” With COVID restrictions still in place in the state, we aren’t able to have the dance as of now. However, with the vaccine rollout and COVID restrictions becoming looser, there is a chance it will be allowed. There are other options of having a typical “dinner-dance,” says Maguire, “we’re talking about what it could look like. Is it something different? Is it something we do here?” There is also talk about doing a similar event for the junior class. 

In addition to the dinner dance still being a possibility, there are other activities that are happening for seniors. There is a plan for a “Senior Car Parade,” set for Tuesday, May 25, at 6:00 p.m., which is the night before the last day of school. The Class of 2021 was also given permission from the SHS administration to have a “Senior Celebration” during the last half of their last day of school. 

“This event might consist of a Senior Award Show, food trucks, a time capsule video, and lawn games on the field,” says Scott. She also noted that due to COVID regulations, none of these factors have been confirmed, but they are hoping for the best. 

The classic “Senior Assassin” competition will still go on, which was announced recently over a post on Instagram. It is important to note this event–along with Senior Sunrise, Senior Prank, and Senior Skip Day–is not affiliated with SHS or the student government. 

While this year may be a disappointing one, there are still many experiences high schoolers will be able to look back on and enjoy. As Scott says, “My motto regarding the entire year is–prepare for the worst–hope for the best!”