Natalia Arroniz
Prom is one of the few high school events that many people talk about as an upperclassman. A completely redesigned gym, tables covered in shiny dishes with food, endless dancing, and an atmosphere to remember are what most people see when thinking about prom.
This year, the Class of 2023 and their sponsor, Heather Martin, have decided that prom is going to take place at a venue outside of school. This is the first time in Godwin’s history that this has happened.
“HCPS policy restricted us to an off-site venue…due to COVID-19 restrictions that were in place during the first semester,” said Martin.
When choosing the venue, Martin explained they had based their decision on price and availability, as well as some student preferences. They had gotten guidance from the county in December, so they had a late start.
In past years, prom was held in the main gym and it took many months to prepare.
“We had to organize a lot [of] outside vendors, and decorations were a lot more work to set up, even with hiring a special events company to do some of the more intense decorations,” said Martin.
Decoration and the theme of prom is something that is carefully planned out. For this year’s prom, there will be less decoration since the venue has restrictions on what they will allow the school to do for decorating.
Even so, prom is still being thoughtfully and carefully planned out.
“Preparing for prom takes several months, from the starting point of deciding on a date and venue to all of the smaller details like tickets and music playlists. We still have quite a bit of work left to do,” said Martin.
Since there is still much work to be done, COVID-19 related policies still haven’t been decided.
However, the theme for prom has been decided. The theme is “Into the Mystic Forest.”, with the color scheme of green, yellow, brown, and blue.
“This is also the first ‘real’ formal school celebration in three years. I think the level of interest might be higher with this in mind, and I expect there to be a lot of excitement to see how it all comes together,” said Martin.
Prom is going to be held at the Richmond Marriott hotel on Saturday, April 23, and will be held from 8-11pm.
“Light food and beverages [will be served], DJ and dancing, possibly a photo opportunity (booth, wall, or something similar) [are things that will be expected]. There will also be tables/chairs for breaks from dancing or for snacks,” said Martino.
There is a limit on how many people can attend, but it is not believed that the maximum capacity of people will be reached, as well as there is no limit on the number of tickets being sold. Outside guests, friends, and dates will be allowed to come, yet people older than 20 will not be allowed.
Tickets are $50 per person; $100 per couple. Tickets will are available online starting at 9 A.M. on Monday, April 18. They will be emailed to guests to be shown at the reception. Actual tickets can be bought during all lunches, which will be available on the same date. However, if students owe money from fees, they won’t be able to purchase a ticket until the fees are paid.
Every person attending must fill out a prom form during the week of April 18-22 no matter how they are buying the ticket. Forms will be available beginning April 15.
Parking is available; students can park in the parking garage next to the hotel and there will be a covered walkway that leads from the garage to the hotel. Parking is $8.
This year, prom will be different, yet Martin and the Class Council of 2023 have made it their priority to make prom as fun as possible.
“An elegant night for students is always our main goal, regardless of the location,” said Martin.
