Juniors have J-Prom and seniors have Gambol, so why can’t underclassmen have a dance as well?
“High school is all about giving equal opportunities to every student,” said freshman Mia Froccaro. “And I really believe that a dance is something that everyone could benefit from.”
It is reasonable that underclassmen are entitled to the same kinds of events that older students get.
“Giving the underclassmen the privilege of a dance or formal is a great idea because it provides us with a chance to bond with other classmates in a new environment,” said Froccaro.
Students want to make great memories with friends all four years of high school, not just during junior and senior years.
Dances are fun events for all grade levels, not just upperclassmen. Allowing freshmen and sophomores to have dances helps students become more involved in school activities, and feel more a part of Schreiber. Having a dance would be an enjoyable addition to the events that underclassmen can already participate in after school. It would help us, underclassmen, feel closer to our friends, as well as to students in the other grades.
“Dances give us the chance to forget about all of the pressure and schoolwork that would stress us out, and just have fun with our classmates for a night,” said sophomore Mallory Winick. “I think that underclassmen definitely deserve that opportunity as well.”
Underclassman dances would give underclassmen a sense of freedom.
The administration shared a similar opinion regarding underclassman dances, but commented on a few issues that may arise from it.
“I think a dance is a wonderful idea,” said Principal Mr. Ira Pernick. “The challenge that the school has faced is getting students to attend.”
Even if a dance is organized, there may not be enough underclassmen students willing to participate in it.
“A dance is a timelessly traditional school function, but we live in not-so-timeless age,” said Mr. Pernick. “We live in a world where a lot of people connect with their friends virtually.”
It is definitely evident that students are less eager to spend time with their classmates, and getting the underclassmen to go to the event is something that would need to be addressed.
If there ever were a dance that catered to the lower grades, many things would need to be taken into consideration. The junior and senior proms take a lot of funding and hard work. The various committees start raising money for the proms over a year in advance and organize the dance months before the event. Because of this, it may be useful to have one dance or formal for all of the underclassmen instead of one for freshmen and one for sophomores. This could also help bridge gaps between the two grades. Having a dance together could bring the freshmen and sophomores closer, and may help people in different grades get to know each other.
Another thing that has to be addressed when considering an underclassman dance is timing. Towards the end of the year, there is a lot of chaos. With both upperclassmen proms, graduation, and finals at nearly the same time in late June, it would take careful planning to add the new prom into the mix.
To combat this schedule-related issue, it may be easier to host the hypothetical underclassman dance in the winter. Selling tickets is another factor that needs to be taken into consideration. As previously stated, many kids would rather be enjoying their time alone with their friend groups then attending a dance at school. In order to persuade people to attend, there would have to be a committee to plan and coordinate this event, and possibly create a theme to attract students.
Creating a dance for the underclassmen and giving them equal opportunity may take a lot of hard work, but many, even upperclassmen, believe that it would be worth it.
“Underclassmen should have the opportunity to go to school dances made specifically for them,” said senior Jennifer Bernstein. “They give you something to look forward to, and the ability to let go for a night.”
Many people, including upperclassmen and administrators, agree that giving the underclassmen a dance could be beneficial. Who knows? Maybe in a few years the freshmen and sophomores will be attending the first annual Underclassman Prom.