On Sunday, May 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Kingswood Oxford held its annual senior prom. Students enjoyed the night first on the senior green for photos, then in the dining hall for dinner, and finally outside on the lawn for dancing and games.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic, many events – such as homecoming, junior prom, and other school dances – have been cancelled in order to abide by health and safety protocols. However, KO was able to organize a senior prom, much to the delight of the senior class. After missing their junior prom due to the COVID-19 lockdown, seniors were eager for one last chance to celebrate with their class and have fun. Faculty and staff were also pleased that seniors were able to come together after such an unusual year. “I am very happy that we were able to give the kids some sort of prom, where they had the opportunity to get ready in the same way as if it were a typical senior prom, but also having it on our campus,” Dean of Students Krista Sahrbeck said.
Ms. Sahrbeck feels as though the students were pleasantly surprised about how well prom went and how much they truly enjoyed it. “That was a big reflection of all the senior parents that put the time and investment into really making prom special for the kids,” Ms. Sahrbeck said.
Masks needed to be worn, although they could be taken off for some activities, as many of the students who attended prom were fully vaccinated, and the event largely took place outside. During dinner in the dining hall, though, many of the same protocols that are carried out during lunch – 4 people to a table, plexiglass dividers, etc. – remained in place in order to maintain the health and safety of the students in the indoor setting. Nonetheless, while taking photos, playing games, and dancing outside, many students felt comfortable with a more relaxed atmosphere due to the decreasing number of cases and the rising vaccination rates in Connecticut. Seniors were not able to bring students from other schools, although they were allowed to bring anyone from the KO community.
Students arrived between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to take pictures with their dates and their families on the senior green. At around 6:00 p.m., students headed into the dining hall to enjoy a sit-down buffet meal. Sage Dining provided myriad delicious options, including salmon, steak, chicken marsala, caesar salad, pasta, and more. The dining hall was also decorated to match the theme of prom: casino night. Tables were adorned with sleek black tablecloths topped with chocolate coins and dice, and decorative banners and curtains were hung. “[The dining hall] was completely transformed,” Ms. Sahrbeck said. “It was gorgeous.”
At around 6:45 p.m., students were able to head into the tent that was set up on the grass field outside of the dining hall. Here, prom-goers engaged in a variety of fun activities. “Students could play Vegas style casino games, take photos in the photo booth, or just have fun and dance to the music,” Ms. Sahrbeck said. There were bartenders making mocktails for the students, as well as a lounge area where students could hang out and talk.
Senior Shreeya Chalikonda especially loved the photo booth because the same one was at senior prom two years ago; therefore, the presence of the photo booth helped to make the night feel even more normal in spite of the ongoing pandemic. “The whole prom was so nice, because, despite COVID-19, we were still able to have a normal prom,” Shreeya said. Shreeya also loved how there were game tables because they gave students something to do other than just dance.
Despite COVID-19 preventing many events from happening this year, the seniors were extremely fortunate to still be able to enjoy a somewhat “normal” senior prom, coming together as a form for one of the last times before graduation in a night full of much-needed fun and excitement.
