Since I was little, I couldn’t wait for the day I would get to go to prom: picking out a dress, having a group to go with, and having one last dance before my senior year was over. 

Prior to the pandemic, juniors were not allowed to attend prom. However, since 2021, a new tradition has formed: juniors and seniors are both allowed to attend this special night.

“I like how our school gives juniors the chance to go to prom, and that they wear longer dresses and while seniors wear short dresses,” senior Isavel Vavrinek said.

Fellow senior Leila Ayyad has a different perspective.

“Many schools around the area are starting to let both grades go. However, I think prom should only be for seniors as it’s their last dance and the spotlight should be on them,” Ayyad said.

For seniors, prom feels like a reward— the final celebration after years of hard work, kicking off graduation and college for many. It’s a night that represents unity and reflection, shared with classmates heading towards different futures. 

Junior students, however, see value in being included. There’s just something exciting about bringing both grades together. As the saying goes, “The more, the merrier.” 

“I feel like prom is something a lot of people look forward to, and therefore both juniors and seniors should be able to attend,” junior Liz Mancine said.

Fashion trends at prom have become a topic of debate, too. Traditionally, juniors wear long gowns and seniors wear shorter ones. However, that norm seems to be fading with more seniors choosing longer, more formal dresses. Junior Virginia Perrelli supports this change.

“I like that juniors get the opportunity to go to prom, but I think seniors should be the one’s wearing longer dresses, not juniors,” Perrelli said.

Personally, I believe prom should be reserved for seniors only. This celebration is something they have earned after working so hard all of their high school careers. But, at the same time, maybe the decision should be left to the senior class. After all, it’s their night.