As the excitement builds for South Lakes High School’s upcoming prom, many students are wondering why prom will be held on the same weekend as the Passover holiday, worldwide cheer competition, Penn relays, and all-state competitions for band, orchestra, and chorus. Holding prom on a date that clashes with these commitments is a huge disappointment for many students torn between attending this significant event and fulfilling their athletic, school and religious responsibilities.
The World Cheer Competition falls on the same day in Orlando, Florida. Many SLHS cheerleaders have been selected for this honor and have worked hard for this opportunity since elementary school.
Senior Kenzie Clifford, a Varsity Cheerleader said, “As a cheerleader it is hard to get people to believe you are an athlete. It is the utmost goal of all competitive cheerleaders to make it to USAF Worlds. It is so hard to have to make a choice between my hard work and an esteemed school event. From my perspective it is very unfortunate for large scale tournaments to not be taken into account for school event planning, as USAF Worlds are for both cheer and dance. While I understand the struggle of planning an event like this, it is sad to see myself and other athletes like me have to miss out on our prom because of scheduling conflicts.”
The Penn Relays, the oldest and largest track and field competition in the US, is also being held on the same date. The SLHS track and field team has many accomplished runners that will be taking part in the relays. Many runners are torn between this special event and athletic commitments.
Senior Bella Harsanyi, a four-year varsity mid-far distance runner, with offers from Virginia Tech, Tennessee, University of Michigan, and Princeton spoke with us about her disappointment. “It’s an inconvenience for both Prom and Penn relays being on the same date. However, I am fully aware and choose to compete with my beloved team at Penn relays,” Harsanyi stated. “While I understand the struggle of planning an event like this, it is sad to see myself and other athletes like me have to miss out on our prom because of scheduling conflicts.”
Late April directly coincides with the IB testing schedule, adding stress for students striving to balance academic achievements with an event as meaningful as prom. Pushing the prom date to a less academically demanding period could alleviate the pressure on students to prioritize one over the other.
The date also conflicts with the Virginian All-State Band, Orchestra, and Chorus competition. This event covers three entire wings of the Arts Department, and many of our bright musicians are also faced with this dilemma.
Senior Nikhil Kuntipuram, a devoted member of the SLHS Band and Scholar IB Diploma Candidate said, “We all understand that planning prom is extremely difficult and finding a time is one of the hardest parts. It is a little disappointing though that many musicians and athletes who are actively representing our school at different events aren’t going to be able to attend an event which is a milestone for many of us. In the case of the All-State Band, we can come back, but that would involve us driving two and a half hours immediately after our performance which is logistically a big challenge. I hope they consider this for future students, as this is the second year in a row this is happening.”
Awareness of diverse cultural and religious observances is crucial when selecting a prom date. Some students may be unable to attend on April 27th, due to stronger sentiments revolving around sacred events. Jewish Passover coincides with Prom, a crucial day of religious significance that marks the liberation of Hebrew slavery from Egypt. Understandably, this date poses a serious conflict of interest for the Jewish community. Rescheduling a date that accommodates a more inclusive range of religious and cultural observances would better foster a sense of unity within the student body.
Senior Beck Baker, explaining his concerns as a member of the Jewish Community, stated: “Not only does prom affect South Lakes athletics and Arts departments, but as a Jewish student it affects me as it falls over the holiday of Passover. Passover restricts myself and other Jewish students from going out to dinner with friends and other activities leading up to the dance. As a senior, I want to have the full prom experience not only during the dance but also before and the holiday is not allowing me to get the experience I wish for.”
That said, we decided to interview the leaders of the junior class council, those responsible for the planning prom, Ms. Bauman and Ms. Siraj. In a combined effort they provided the following statement, “Planning starts a full year ahead, as we start with FCPS guidance detailing days during which no school events can be planned. SLHS Administration takes into account all possible days upon which prom might be held, and searches the calendar for known and potential conflicts (some of which remain unknown until late in the school year). We are also mindful of location and cost as we ensure that prom is as affordable and convenient as possible for both students and for the staff who chaperone that night.”
“This process is not unique to this year’s prom planning team, nor is it unique to South Lakes high school. All FCPS schools have to work through the same considerations. Sadly, this process cannot be made to work for every individual student.”
“We encourage all students who are interested in helping to plan prom, including with date selection, to get involved early in the year. Talk with your class sponsors about how to help provide input, identify locations, and make it the prom you would like it to be early in the year.” Bauman and Siraj, said.
