As March comes around the corner, Yutan students get excited about one of their favorite times of the year, prom. While it happens every year, it is a highlight for many who look forward to putting their own spin on it.

The junior class plans the decorations each year leaving their own mark on the dance. This year the theme for the dance was Enchanted Evening.

“When we were planning for the dance, we all finally decided that we wanted to base it around Rapunzel,” junior Maycee Hays said. “It would have lanterns and the purple, like the lavender and the green vibe.”

The centerpiece was a wooden arch covered in vines surrounded by matching wooden fences, with lighted white lanterns hung above to hint at the lantern scene in the “Tangled” movie.

“I think it really captured the ‘Tangled’ theme,” junior Grace Jones said. “The arch where we took pictures was pretty and very nicely decorated. The lanterns were also a really good add-on and really brought everything together.”

Another feature that made this year’s prom unique is a dinner that was hosted by the post-prom committee at the elementary before the dance.

“The goal I think, for parents and myself, was to really have a kind of a seamless night where prom goers could show up at the meal, then they go right to the Grand March, they go right into the dance, they go right into post prom, so trying to keep a tighter timeline for students,” junior class sponsor Ginger Eikmeier said.

At the meal, the students and their dates were escorted to their table with cupcakes already out. The servers, which consisted of the Yutan freshman, brought out bread and filled their cups, and the dance-goers had the choice of either steak or chicken alfredo for their entree.

“I was just so happy that we can all eat together, and then we could just stay at the elementary and get ready for the Grand March,” Hays said. “It was so fancy. They had these candlelit tables, tablecloths and table numbers. I was just really happy that we could all stay in Yutan during the night so we didn’t have to drive back and forth.”

After the dinner, the students were breathalyzed and lined up for the march, where they then stood together brainstorming and practicing their handshakes. 

“It was fun to see the handshakes again, how everyone brought some sort of unique twist to it,” Eikmeier said. “Unfortunately, because I was announcing a lot of times I would announce the name and see them start walking, and then look at the next card and the crowd erupts in laughter and I realized I missed some funny moments since I’m standing next to it.”

On top of the handshakes adding more to the night, after the march, the dance was a success. The dance had a DJ, tables and chairs for students to sit at, a photo booth and complimentary cups that read Enchanted Evening. 

“It was really awesome to still have students there dancing at the end of the night,” Eikmeier said. “A lot of times there’s a mass exodus early in the evening, and we had smaller groups leaving, but I feel like students stayed around longer. So hopefully that was a sign that they were really having fun and they just didn’t want to leave.”

After the dance, the students headed to the high school for post-prom with the theme Las Vegas Casino.

“Post-prom is a really fun experience. The parents set it up really, really nice, and I love the creative casino ideas and the fact that there were parents in the casino, helping people learn how to play or be good,” Jones said. “I think the snacks were cool there too, the drinks were really good, the candy display and treat display. It was pretty great.”

While the display brought everyone into post-prom, the highlight of the night was when the hypnotist showed up at 2 a.m.

“My favorite part was getting hypnotized at post-prom because it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do,” Hays said. “It just was so crazy. Like, you’re in it and you weren’t in it. That’s all I remember.”

Students had different parts throughout the night that they enjoyed, but it was a success overall. 

“I think the best memory was definitely just dancing with all my best friends,” Hays said. “It’s a night that I’ll always remember, and I’m just really glad I got to cherish it with all my best friends.”