For the first time in two years, East juniors and seniors will be able to attend Prom.
In 2020, Prom was unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. In 2021, East hosted “Morp,” a senior-only event that attempted to mimic parts of the Prom experience while continuing to limit the risk of COVID-19. There was also no Post-Prom event.
This year, however, Prom has been confirmed by Assistant Principal Lisa Dandre.
According to Dandre, Prom 2022 will take place Saturday, April 30th, at the Oak Brook Hills Resort in Oak Brook, Illinois, from 6-10:30 p.m. Prom tickets will be $75 per person this year, and each ticket includes dinner.
Another event that will be taking place in addition to Prom is the long-time tradition of Post-Prom. Post-Prom will be held at St. Charles East High School, from 11 p.m.-2 a.m. Tickets for Post-Prom will be sold for $20 per person.
Each East student will be permitted to bring one guest for each of these events.
Sajni Patel, senior, is president of East’s Student Council Executive Board. According to Patel, the junior class student council representatives are responsible for planning Prom, and have made the decisions in preparation for this year’s event.
Patel said that the decision to host Prom at the Oak Brook Hills Resort was one the Student Council spent a long time deciding.
“Pheasant Run sadly got shut down,” Patel said, “and the junior class [Student] Council put a lot of time into finding a perfect place that will fit everyone and provide us with the best venue.”
Patel also confirmed that students can bring guests, even if they attend high school outside of D303.
“Students can bring a guest using a guest pass which will be available starting in April,” Patel said. She also noted that each student “can only bring one guest.”
This year marks the first time most seniors are eligible to attend Prom. Last year’s Morp was open only to the Class of 2021. Even then, attendance at Morp was low, according to Patel.
“There were many restrictions, which was unmotivating for some seniors,” she said. However, she hopes that the return to a junior-senior event and the reinstitution of guests will encourage a more traditional turnout this year.
Ticket sales and guest pass applications are set to begin sometime in April, according to Dandre, and more information will also be released within the next few weeks.
Students can find additional Prom 2022 information on the St. Charles East website.