Both Woodside High School and Sequoia High School held their prom at the same venue this year. Students from Sequoia attended their prom on April 12, whereas Woodside students attended their prom April 13. Even though both proms were at The Bently Reserve in San Francisco, each prom gave a different experience.
Woodside students attended a prom based off of Arabian Nights, and Sequoia’s theme was Viva Las Vegas.
After interviewing several students who attended Woodside’s prom, the majority of students had similar complaints, one common one being the line to enter prom.
Corinne Abrams stated that “one of the biggest downfalls [at prom] was the wait to get into the dance. We were outside for so long in a slow-moving line, with what I believed to be unnecessary security measures.”
With heavy security measures, many students were not allowed to enter or were removed from the venue later in the night for behavioral violations.
Another student, Nino Montalbano, was frustrated with the line as well. Montalbano and his date were stopped by security so they could confiscate his EpiPen used for his nut allergy. Montalbano and many of his friends are still baffled by this security guard’s actions.
“They took my EpiPen and said I could have it at the end of the night, but it was never given back,” Montalbano stated.
Another complaint about Woodside’s prom was the music. People wished a better DJ was hired. There was an opportunity to give song suggestions, however, students felt that it was not well advertised.
Students also felt that the theme, “Arabian Nights,” could have been executed better.
Devon Sheehan noticed that “staff members tried to dress in the theme for ‘Arabian Nights,’ but were wearing outfits that resembled Indian saris more than anything.”
Sheehan felt that “if they wanted to make this prom about Arabian culture, they should have researched it more.”
Madeleine Fex agreed, saying, “The food and drink choices did not match the theme.”
Fex also went on to say, “I didn’t like the food. It wasn’t very substantial.”
However, Woodside High School’s prom had some highlights. Many people felt that the henna station was a great idea, even though some people complained about getting it on their outfits. Students also thought the venue was great and enjoyed the tarot cards and photo booth. Most students were just happy to be with their friends.
Sequoia students attended a night themed “Viva Las Vegas.” Like Woodside, Sequoia students wished that a better DJ was hired. However, the majority of Sequoia students thought the theme and venue were executed perfectly.
Still, other students like Jesse Carthy thought the venue could be better.
“I did not like the limitations of the area,” Carthy commented. “I wish prom was at a location with an outdoor area bigger than the patio there.”
Unlike at Woodside’s prom, Sequoia students were allowed to roam about on the patio as they pleased.
Alyssa De Leon was another student who was not impressed by prom. She felt that there should have been a spirit week or more hype surrounding the big event.
“It felt short and not as important [as prom should have been],” De Leon described.
Like Woodside, Sequoia had some highlights as well. Students enjoyed the food, more specifically the Dip N’ Dots. They also enjoyed the activities provided: karaoke, casino themed activities, and a photo booth were all included within the night.
Kemmer Peeples was one of the many who enjoyed Sequoia’s prom. However, she wished that “prom could be cheaper and more accessible for everybody.”
In the end, both proms had some highlights and poor reviews, but not everyone can be made happy.
