BrookeHerdzina

Nothing is worse than a boring dance. No one is dancing because the music is a horrible remix of a mediocre song, everyone is standing awkwardly by the dance floor. People show up late, just to leave twenty minutes later. They spend hours getting ready and spend money on a dress and shoes, just to wear them for half an hour.

Prom Committee Moderator and theology teacher Ms. Sara Greisch and this year’s prom planning committee were trying to avoid these problems by bringing in new innovations to prom.

Le Jardin Enchanté was a different prom compared to past years. This is all thanks to new innovations like bigger raffle prizes, a new DJ, and a new venue. 

Most of these changes were possible because Marian will not be hosting a post prom this year. After deliberating, Greisch and the committee agreed that the money could be spent better in different areas, especially because in recent years, the attendance at post prom has been lower than ever.

Post prom is one of the biggest expenses of the event, so choosing to not do it meant that there would now be more money for everything else.

The idea to make prize boxes and have bigger raffles was brought up by Greisch and most of the money that would’ve gone to post prom was redirected here. 

Some of the prizes this year included Apple Airpod Maxes, Lululemon gift cards, Stanley Tumblers, and Target gift cards. Each Marian girl was given five raffle tickets upon entry, but was required to stay until the end in order to win. 

Another big change this year was that more money was spent on a DJ than in the past. Mr. West is a radio DJ, who can be heard on Power 106.9 and was also featured on the show Master Chef. He was different from DJs in past years because he had more of a modern feel that connected with teenagers and what they are actually listening to. 

Greisch said she believed that if Marian invested in a good DJ, it would keep people on the dance floor and keep prom lighthearted and fun. “Music is the most important part of prom because it is the one thing that keeps people there,” Greisch said. 

The Pella at Blackstone was a new venue for Marian prom and was a huge change from the Durham Museum. It was a smaller venue, which meant none of the awkward empty space, which had been a problem before. It was a refurbished church and featured stained glass windows, and proved to be a beautiful venue that was just the right size. 

Prom 2023 was a huge success all thanks to Ms. Greisch and this year’s prom committee that had been working since October of 2022.