One of the most well-known dances in high school is prom. Fancier (and more exclusive) than homecoming, prom is a dance that juniors and seniors can attend. Sophomores and freshmen can only attend if they have an upperclassman taking them, but most of the attendees are upperclassmen.
This year, HHS prom was held at Asterisks in Downtown Denver with a theme of “Cloud 9” chosen by student government. The event was decorated beautifully with clouds hanging from the ceiling and a few treats including cotton candy. There was even a rooftop area to get some fresh air and hang out with friends in a more quiet environment. Eleana D ‘25 says, “The rooftop was definitely my favorite part.” Everyone was dressed to the nines (very on-theme) with long gowns and fancy suits.
The lack of dancing at prom was noticed. At homecoming, there is a big clump of students ‘moshing’ and dancing to the music. At prom, there was a small area with groups separated individually. There were a few songs that got students up and moving, (like “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus) but nothing compared to homecoming. Most people were sort of scattered around in their groups just talking with minimal dancing. There were also plenty of tables and chairs which are definitely not seen at homecoming. At homecoming, you can find bleachers in the separate gym to sit on, but at prom, the tables and chairs were in the same room as the dance floor.
Yes, homecoming is a different event than prom, but there should still be many similarities, but there were very few. Eleana mentions, “Prom is on a Saturday which makes me like it more than homecoming.” She says that on homecoming she feels rushed because “I don’t get home until 4:00 and I feel like there isn’t enough time to take pictures and get ready like there is with prom.” One of the only similarities is the fact that people are dressed nicely. Chloe H ‘25 says, “There wasn’t a lot of dancing, it was more like a social thing.” She also decides that she prefers prom “only because of the dresses,” since they are more fancy.
While homecoming starts off the year, prom closes it with a glittering bang. It is one of the last chances for students to make memories for the year and I can say with certainty that it succeeded at that.