Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the annual prom for the Juniors has been canceled for the class of 2021. Prom is an event every class looks forward to in high school. Instead of being upset over the cancellation of the original set date for prom in May, class officers and the Chieftain Press set up a “virtual prom” for the Junior class to be able to have some fun and forget the stress of the pandemic.

Leo Lukaszevicz, the secretary for the class of 2021, felt “really sad because not only is it a special night, but my fellow class officers and I have been planning it for three years now.” Christina Galeski commented that “It was upsetting at first, but I can understand now since the rest of school is canceled.” Most female students got their dresses before the cancellation of school, so there was some frustration and confusion before we were informed of a rescheduling. Christina felt “mad because I felt like we wasted our money on dresses…I honestly would have felt better if they rescheduled right away…because I felt like they weren’t going to give us [a] prom.” Sadly, this news wasn’t a big shocker to everyone; Zachary Fischer admitted he “wasn’t surprised that they canceled prom because it’s only natural to keep everyone safe during times like this.”

This cancellation of prom is a very big letdown for the students of 2021, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun on the initial date prom was supposed to be on. The Junior class officers came up with a plan to bring prom into the comforts of our home by planning a virtual prom for Juniors. Their plan was to “make a short video of everyone dancing” which will be “a fun way to include everyone for a fun night,” Leo added. I personally got creative and sent in something for the event, and it was fun getting ready and feeling as though I was getting prepared for the real thing! 

The virtual prom was posted to the Nashoba News youtube page on Friday May 6; it was a fun video that involved both students and staff members. It included many different segments with promposals, dancing with pets, and even a reality tv show skit with Mrs. Bailey. It was overall successful to bring all of us together as a class to give us some fun during the Coronavirus outbreak, which is something everyone needs right now. 

When we make it past this and get the real prom experience we were expecting, I have a feeling it will be more special. Leo agreed, adding, “It will not only be so fun to see everyone again, but it will show that we actually made it through Corona.” 

Deep down, even with all the positivity and support from staff and students, us Juniors are really upset that something we have been looking forward to had to be taken away, even though it is for the best to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. But this virtual prom experience is sure to put a smile on your face and keep your spirits up during such difficult times. I asked Leo what the main motive is behind creating a virtual prom, and he explained, “The main motive is to celebrate our time together. Although we are not physically together, we are a very close class. This shows that not even a pandemic can separate us,” which I believed portrayed our attitude as a class together perfectly. Watch the virtual prom on youtube here.