Students commemorated their school year with a night of dancing and celebration at prom under the sparkling lights of The Tech Interactive on April 19.
On the dance floor, attendees sang along to fan favorites like “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus and “Carnival” by Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign. As they danced, students launched transparent beach balls filled with glitter into the air, while moving lights elevated the atmosphere.
Attendees explored a variety of the museum’s exhibits downstairs, ranging from a screen that cobbled together a collage of student faces to a roller coaster simulator to a jet pack chair. Although junior Sophia Ou had initially tempered her expectations, she realized that the wide range of activities, from gambling to dancing, made the event more exciting.
“When I first heard that the venue was gonna be the Tech Museum, I was a little disappointed because it doesn’t sound super cool,” Sophia said. “But when I was there, I thought the exhibits are actually a really great feature of the Tech Museum, and there’s a lot of cool things you can do.”
Casino tables drew crowds as students competed in blackjack, poker and craps, gambling with a fake 500 dollar bill they received at the start of prom.
“Prom was really fun because of the casino games,” junior Luke Wu said. “A lot of people were playing blackjack with me, and we went all in. That was one of the highlights: having that sense of community and that tradition for high schoolers to come together and bond.”
Many also gathered at the photo booth with friends and faculty, posing with cartoonish props like giant sunglasses and text bubbles.
Attendees sampled a wide assortment of foods like sushi and fried ravioli to desserts like freeze-dried toffee and alien-themed chocolate-covered strawberries. The candy bar featured peach rings and Nerds clusters alongside four different space-themed mocktails and a Pop Rocks topped cotton candy machine.
Student Activities Coordinator Kerry Enzensperger explained how she chose fan-favorite dishes for the night by working with Kitchen Manager Raelynn Baldwin to curate the menu.
“We sat down and talked to the catering department and asked about what food everybody asks for,” Enzensperger said. “Sushi was the number one ask, so we made sure to have that. Then we asked everybody else for their favorite foods, so it’s always student-driven. Seeing students smile, being all dressed up and enjoying the evening with friends is the best part.”
Themed decorations set the tone for the night, beginning with a pink and blue-lit hallway lined with curtains made of slinkies at the museum entrance. Students entered their names for the raffle, with Alicia Ran (12) winning the movie package, before descending into the venue filled with fairy lights and mermaid-scale table covers.
Director of Student Organizations Eric Kallbrier appreciated seeing the seniors finally relax after their four high school years and cherish a night of connection.
“Seniors have spent all year agonizing over applications and making sure that they finish their senior year strong — all of that gets to be put behind them for the first time,” Kallbrier said. “They get to feel truly in the moment of the celebration that is this point in their lives. It’s just wonderful to see them start to change from being stressed out to being a little more present and enjoying the moment.”
