What can you get for sixty dollars? That’s over seventy dinner rolls at Ezell’s, almost half a year of Netflix, or even an air fryer. Some Garfield students, however, spend their sixty dollars on prom tickets. The Messenger sought to understand why prom is so expensive and why—despite its price—it’s so well-attended.
“Prom is just like the Senior Class’ last big celebration, and our chance to be together in one place,” Madyn Embry, a senior serving as Garfield’s ASB secretary, remarked. Outside of Garfield, prom is a hugely prominent piece of American culture. Countless teen movies revolve around prom, and there are even entire magazines dedicated to it. “If [prom] doesn’t happen, then it’s a disappointment,” Embry added. This doesn’t explain why prom is so expensive, though. Even Garfield’s spring dance, which featured decorations and an upscale venue, cost less than forty dollars. And according to Garfield alumni who attended decades ago, prom tickets have even been free before.
The first reason prom tickets cost so much is simple. According to Embry, “There are super high expectations for this dance. So we worry less about [the] budget.” Prom is such an important night that Garfield’s student government thinks it’s worth splurging on. As such, the high ticket prices go towards expensive locations, fancy decor, and an overall polished experience.
The second reason is more complicated. While Garfield’s student government is made up of students from all grades, only members of the Senior Class plan prom. This means that after a successful prom, the seniors who planned it graduate. Every year, the juniors who inherit the mantle of prom do so without first having had the chance to shadow the Senior Classes that came before them. Embry mentioned that they can gain “a lot of guidance from staff,” but she also said the Senior Class “kind of had to figure it out by [themselves].“ Almost every other event put on by the ASB lets younger students get experience running it, which is one of the big reasons that there was a noticeable increase in the Pi Day assembly’s quality in its second year.
Finally, one of the other big reasons prom costs so much is that Garfield’s student government doesn’t engage in nearly as much fundraising as it used to. While many argue about what caused the decline, the fact is that there’s less money flowing into ASB accounts these days. Since Garfield’s ASB does not receive money from the school district, it has to raise its own funds. Thus, it seems the ASB has found that the price of having a nice prom that doesn’t bankrupt the school is sixty dollars.
And for those who have one hundred and twenty dollars to spend on two tickets, Guigo Mendez, a senior in the Leadership Class, had some advice. “Don’t be scared to ask out your date because it’s fun.” Or take a friend. “It’s more fun if you go with your friend, honestly.”
