This year, Lakewood’s senior prom and after-prom occurred on Saturday, May 2, marking a milestone weekend of celebration before graduation.

Prom tickets were $75, while after-prom tickets were $20. The seniors raised funds through formal dance tickets in January and a March concert featuring Arch Angel, a local band comprised of Lakewood seniors. These fundraisers helped ensure that both events could be memorable and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Organizers wanted as many seniors as possible to attend the event.

“I want them to be able to enjoy all of their senior events, so I did accept up to a certain point late ticket purchases,” said Asia Mestek, Lakewood’s bookroom manager.

The week leading up to prom was filled with excitement as Lakewood held its traditional prom spirit week. Each day had a different theme, including Athlete vs. Mathlete Monday, 2020 Tuesday, Meme Day Wednesday, Safari vs. Sea/Senior Shirt Thursday and Class Colors Friday.

Students showed off their creativity and school spirit by dressing up, and the week helped build anticipation for the big night. The week ended with the last pep rally of the year, the Friday before prom.

The pep rally began with the spring sports teams walking out, and right after, a relay-style track race took place. After the track race, games like Hungry Hippos, Tug of War, Limbo, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Cup and the screaming contest were played.

A highlight of the rally featured the Ranger Man mascot performing “Party in the USA,” before unmasking to reveal senior Marcos Severino.

The prom venue, DJ and caterer were already decided last year. Mestek pushed to help set up the rest of the necessary prom stuff by confirming numbers, staying in constant communication with the aerials event coordinator and resolving any issues.

“Working with seniors and their families has been absolutely wonderful; it is probably the most fun part of the job,” said Mestek.

Prom officially began at 6:30 p.m. at the Ariel International Center, a beautiful venue in Cleveland. The location featured multiple floors for students to enjoy dinner, dance and take photos. One of the highlights of Ariel International Center was also the rooftop, where students could take pictures and get a great view of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.

The food was catered from Italian Creations and included a variety of pasta dishes, garlic bread, salad, pizza and fruit. After dinner, students eventually made their way to the fourth floor to hit the dance floor. A DJ played a mix of popular songs, keeping the energy high throughout the night.

“It’s just that rite of passage—being grown up, taking pictures for prom, and getting ready with my friends,” said senior Lucy McDonald.

At 11 p.m., the celebration moved back to Lakewood High School for after-prom. Students’ parents organize after-prom every year, and this year Heather Kama-Starr was the After-Prom Chair. A few of the responsibilities of the After-Prom Chair include scheduling meetings, helping with fundraising, selecting a theme and selecting entertainment options for after-prom.

This year’s after-prom theme was Greek-inspired, featuring lots of sheer white drapes, Greek backdrops for pictures and fairy lights. Many students went along with the theme, wearing white and gold. Some even wore togas!

For entertainment at after-prom, the gym had two bounce houses–one for basketball and volleyball, and another for racing. There was also an assortment of other games, such as Jenga and cornhole. The black box was turned into a board game room for people to go and sit in a quieter area and play board games, while the choir room was the karaoke room.

The night featured a raffle with nearly 60 gift baskets. Prizes included gift cards, Stanley tumblers, and Keurig coffee makers.

Prom and after-prom are such important events for students to attend in their senior year; they are a moment to dress up and hang out with your friends and people you’ve known your whole life at places with a lot of fun opportunities. It is also a chance to get one more high school memory before going on to the next chapter of your life after high school.

“Soon, all of your lives will be changing. It is important that all of you have a chance to be young and careful in a safe environment,” said Kama-Starr.