Four years of prom being at the Scottish Rite Temple have come to an end. The new location will provide a view of the stars and the water front. Prom’s venue has received some scrutiny from the attendees in the past, but now it is going to be held on the rooftop of French 25, in part due to efforts and assistance of the newly founded prom committee. This committee has been organized by seniors exclusively in efforts to relieve some of the pressure from the Associated Student Body’s junior class.

“Prom is what you make of it,” Ryan Berg, ASB adviser, said. The committee’s first goal was to change the venue. However, Berg saw potential in using the Scottish Rite Temple. “If you decorate the same place four different ways it can look like four different buildings,” he said.

“In the past years prom hasn’t been the best,” committee member Allison Ho said. She remembers last year’s prom theme. “You walk in and you wouldn’t even notice that it was the Great Gatsby.” She also remembers that “it was kind of claustrophobic.” She believes that with the venue change it may be better. “Last year it was a very small confined banquet hall. By moving the prom to somewhere outdoors, like the rooftop, it will be better,” Ho said

“We are involving student body in the process of creating prom,” said senior Faith Recio. She says that the most valuable asset that the committee brings to the table is that they are involving the student body. The committee hopes that this will increase the excitement for prom.
The reason the Scottish Rite Temple remained the venue for prom for several years is because of its affordability. Despite adversity with funds, Berg wanted the event to be “the best prom possible.” ASB makes its money by selling tickets to dances. Because the homecoming and sweetheart dances were canceled, not enough funds are coming in.

The prom committee discovered that holding prom at French 25 was less expensive than the Scottish Rite, so it satisfied the need to keep the price tag down.

However, Recio’s push for the venue change stems from a previous engagement that was scheduled the same day as the Scottish Rite date, which would not be a problem at French 25. Recio said that there was going to be a music competition and that if it came down to it she would have just left early from the competition.“I am happy that prom now doesn’t conflict with my music trip because it would have been unfair to have to choose,” Recio said. Other conflicts of schedules included the section championships for sports like track and field. Now that prom is set for May 2, Recio and others no longer have to worry.
Berg sees that this change stirred a positive reaction from the seniors. However, he urges the committee to recognize that normally prom planning is a junior class necessity since the funds go towards their senior year events.

“The prom committee that we are trying to have is just to help the junior class,” Ho said. She, along with other seniors, is happy to lend a hand to the junior/senior prom. Prom is a very big event for most students. “It’s one of those rights of passage that before you leave that you go to senior prom,” Recio said. “Lots of girls wait for prom to happen and even guys wait for it to happen.”
“The more people to help out reduces the stress level and get things done faster,” Ho said.