Homestead students were surprised to receive an email from Mr. Ebert on Wednesday, March 14, announcing plans for a prom like no other.

In his email, Ebert described what sounds like a normal prom: one filled with dancing, beautiful dresses, and a delicious dinner. Many familiar things about prom remain, but not without considering the dangers of partying during a pandemic.

All students will be rapid tested prior to the prom and require a negative result to enter the dance. Additionally, all students must wear masks when they are not eating, and they will eat with their respective groups. The biggest curveball of all, though, is that there are two proms this year: one on May 21 for juniors and one on May 22 for seniors.

Apart from all the masks and tests and distancing, students are still looking forward to prom night. Taylor Apel, senior, has been anticipating prom since her high school experience began.

When asked what she looks forward to most, Apel said, “Spending time with friends in fancy dresses we don’t normally get to wear.”

Jackson Burd, senior, shared a similar sentiment.

“It’s a fun way for upperclassmen to get together one final time with all their friends,” Burd said.

Others are not as excited. Jakey Schmidman, junior, never understood the popularity of the dance.

“If you want to dance with somebody or hang out with your friends, you can do that… in a way where you don’t have to pay a bunch of money,” Schmidman said. “I don’t really get the appeal behind it, if I’m being honest.”

Whether you have bought your prom outfit already or you plan to spend the night vegging on the couch, there is no denying that the dance is an iconic staple in the high school experience. When they think of prom, Schmidman, Apel, and Burd all think of the way they are portrayed in their favorite movies and television shows. They want to replicate the euphoric feeling of stepping into the dance, dressed to impress, and ready to have the time of their life.

The best way to do that, students believe, is to stay safe and responsible.Apel worries that the event could get cancelled if cases rise.

“I won’t want to miss out on the last big event of high school,” Apel said.

“COVID is a big factor. They are doing the rapid testing so I think they’ll probably be fine, but when you have the dance, I mean, you can’t really dance when you’re six feet apart, so there is the opportunity for close contact, but it seems like Homestead has considered that,” Schmidman said. He does not plan on attending the dance, but he is grateful that Homestead is giving students the opportunity to have fun with friends.

No fun would be had, however, without the help of student council. Students handpick everything from the theme to the menu, and they are all behind the magic of prom. Jack Gresham, senior and co-president of the council has faith in his peers to get the job done. “I’m really glad that student council is able to plan it because we work really hard to put something together. We know the behind the scenes stuff that has to go on to plan something,” Gresham said.

Even more excited to plan the event is the Student Council advisor herself, Dawn Pfaff. She recalls going to the Prom in high school and is really looking forward to this one. “I love to see kids dress up and act a little older than they are,” Pfaff said.

She has faith in Student Council and trusts them to deliver as they have before.“They are organized, have a good pulse on the school and are go-getters. If you want something done well, give it to the student council.” Pfaff said.

Overall, the Homestead community, behind and on the scene, has missed an event like this.

“I do think we should be having a prom this year,” said Burd. “I think it’s an important part of everyone’s high school career- especially for those who didn’t get a prom their junior year. This is a chance for them to finally experience things they weren’t able to before.”