The first school dance since the COVID-19 pandemic — prom — will finally take place. Juniors will have their prom May 14, followed by the senior prom May 15. 

Junior prom will be held from 7–9 p.m. and senior prom will be held from 8–10 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Rec Center Outdoor Gathering Space (ROC). Additionally, no students from other schools can be brought as a guest. 

Prom was intentionally scheduled 15 days before graduation to ensure that no students will have to be quarantined for graduation. The date and times were also arranged around Ramadan and Shabbat to the best of their ability, according to Assistant Principal Jessica Busse. 

Prom tickets can be purchased through this link. 

Junior Nadia Mburu was thrilled when she heard Park is having prom this year because now students can have some much needed fun after a year full of ups and downs. 

“I think it’s a good thing to let the students have some free time and have some time to enjoy themselves after the crazy year it’s been,” Mburu said. 

Busse is feeling enthusiastic about being able to see students at prom and have an opportunity for them to be together. 

“I’m super excited about prom. It is one of my favorite events because I love seeing everybody dressed up and (at) their nicest and everybody’s just happy to be there. It’s also really exciting to have everybody in one place at the same time,” Busse said. 

Prom is a staple in the high school experience, according to senior Marissa Boettcher, and she feels it is important to keep that going. 

“Traditions like these are a good way to really bond with your class and really create those relationships that maybe aren’t carried throughout your lifetime,” Boettcher said. 

“I also think it’s a fun experience to look back at and like life is all about making memories.” 

Social distancing and making safe decisions around the time of prom will be vital in keeping students safe, according to Busse. 

“Every year I worry about prom, from choices that teenagers will make, and this year it’s even more important,” Busse said. “I do not want our prom to be a super spreader event, and I don’t want anybody to get sick because of our prom and so be careful about the choices you make.”

Mburu feels if everyone is following Center for Disease and Prevention guidelines and is cautious about masks and social distancing, students and chaperones will be safe. 

“A lot of people are going to be in one space, But as long as everyone is masked (prom will be safe),” Mburu said. “(Students should) try not to get super close, try to have fun with a safe distance.” 

Busse expressed the importance of juniors and seniors having prom to wrap up their time in high school but also stressed the importance of safety at the event. 

“It’s a really good time to say your goodbyes to seniors and juniors. It’s like the next step to your senior year. So I’m really excited about all of those things,” Busse said. “I’m worried about all the logistics, but we have to do things safely like we’ve done all of school,” Busse said.