As the class of 2023 is starting their preparations for graduation, seniors are also approaching their final celebrations, including prom. Despite many false rumors being spread, prom is still being commenced this year as planned and there will be no limitations to the number of seniors able to attend. Prom will be made as accessible as possible to the students of Francis Lewis at the Crest Hollow Country Club.

“In previous years, we’ve heard that we should get our tickets early because there was a limit on seats,” senior Azra Asa said. “I wanna say around 300 to 600; including plus-ones.” 

Uncertain of the origin of this rumor, students have been saying that prom may be limited to a small fraction of students. However, prom will go as planned without any limitations with seating. 

“I have no idea where it (the rumors) came from or how it was started.” S.O. Senior Adviser Ms. Whitney said.  “The first set of questions that were shown to me said something about that. I called Mr. Coloneri and I said, ‘there isn’t, this is not true.’ I don’t know where it came from.” 

Currently, the venue is able to house approximately 600 students. But if it becomes necessary, there are still other ways to create more seats, but “it just hasn’t ever been in the past” according to Ms. Whitney.

“Last year we had a lot,”  Ms. Whitney said. ”There were around 550 (students). Before that it had been a little bit lower, I think, just because we could finally go after COVID last year. Hopefully we’ll have that again this year.”

The Student Organization (S.O.), with its team of students and faculty, has been doing its best to lower costs and promote events for all the students to attend. 

“Believe it or not, we do make things cheaper for the kids,” S.O. member and senior Christina Dakis said. “The senior trip is supposed to be more expensive per person and the same thing with senior dues and everything, but we absorb a lot of that money because we know that it’s unrealistic, right? To make kids spend that much money.”

Especially with the ongoing inflation many families are experiencing this school year, some students might have a difficult time finding the funds necessary to attend prom.  Prom can cost approximately $600 for a student to attend, when taking into account hair, makeup, outfits, tickets, and rides to the event. 

“I can’t speak to that because everyone spends a different amount of money – makeup, dress, attire – but the ticket is usually around 110,” Ms. Whitney said. “It’s usually cheaper than other schools and I really try to keep the price as low as possible.”

Making ticket prices lower can enable more Francis Lewis students to attend prom. After all, the main initiative for this year is to make prom accessible to those who want to go. 

“Obviously once prom comes by, probably by the second semester, we’ll start advertising it more because we have prom sales in the S.O. Then we have to distribute the tickets and then go to prom,” Dakis said.

“Not everything’s going to be free, unfortunately,” Dakis said. “Things do have to get paid for and we have to get that money from somewhere. So, unfortunately we do have to charge that amount of money, but it could be worse in my opinion.”

Prom is a highlight to many students, and the Francis Lewis community is trying its best to make sure that the Class of 2023 is able to enjoy the celebrations that mark the end of their high school lives.

“I think it’s the last time I get to enjoy myself before I start, like in the real world where college is,” senior Devani Khan said. “We have to be old, we have to be grownups then.”