‘A magical night’
Baltimore-area students go big with fancy clothes and ax-throwing at pandemic delayed proms
Ostrich feathers, sparkling rhinestones and a dramatic train. When the dress designer asked what else Akaylah Jones wanted in the custom-made ball gown for her first and last high school prom, she declared it had to be “massive.” “I wanted it to be big so that when everyone sees me walk in, they’re like ‘Ooooooo,’ ” Akaylah said.
The 17-year-old Baltimore City student’s senior prom is scheduled for Friday. The pandemic canceled her junior prom last spring.
The Dunbar High School senior is among thousands of Maryland students for whom the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted three consecutive school years. As education shifted online, many teens lamented losing the cultural benchmarks of high school — from homecoming games to graduation ceremonies — that their parents, teachers, older siblings and peers enjoyed.
Still, some teens say this year’s prom is a chance to make up for those lost moments in one night of revelry and glamour. They’re going big, choosing
themes that are more lavish than kitsch and hors d’oeuvres over sit-down meals (so as not to risk staining their gowns and tuxedos).
And the adults are going all in, too. Principals are shelling out for floor-length gowns. Schools are working to lower costs and offering transportation to make the dance as accessible as possible. Overeager parents are receiving sarcastic reminders from their kids that prom is a closed event.
The prom tradition gives many teens an opportunity to stand out, but this year’s party offers a shot at feeling normal. Administrators say it’s a chance to celebrate their students’ resilience. The Sun spoke with students across the region about their plans for prom.
These are some of their stories.
Roarin 2022’s at Dunbar High School, Baltimore City
When Akayla’s junior prom was canceled, she recalled feeling “bummed.” Then she paused to reconsider.
“Not bummed,” she said on second thought. “Actually, I was furious. I wanted to experience both of my proms.”
The Dunbar senior was envious when she got wind of Baltimore-area private schools that managed to hold proms last spring. And she listened closely when her older sister, now attending Coppin State University, said her only regret from her own prom was not getting involved with the planning.
So when it became clear that the class of 2022 would get its senior prom this spring, Akayla immediately asked her principal how she could help.
Dunbar’s prom committee is small with just two members, including Akayla, but the planning involved the entire senior class. The teens used pandemic-tested technology like Google classrooms to post pictures of potential venues and to poll their peers on themes, decoration and music.
The class chose a “Great Gatsby” theme over alternatives like rodeo or royalty. And they decided on finger foods — the “fancy option” — instead of a formal meal, Akayla said.
“We want it to be a magical night where you don’t get anything on your clothes and you just enjoy being with the class,” she said.
Still, her committee position afforded her advanced knowledge of the party attractions, including two red carpets, photo booths and lots of glitzy decorations. When classmates stop her in the hallway to ask for the prom particulars, she demurs.
“All I can say is ‘You shoulda joined the committee.’ ”