Who Can Go to Prom? Any Junior Or Senior Thornwood High School
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Who can go to prom? Any Junior or Senior Thornwood High School student in good standing is invited to attend Prom and may bring a guest. Guests cannot be over the age of 20 and must be approved regardless of whether or not they attend Thornwood. Good standing = academic eligibility AND discipline eligibility Academic eligibility = Fall 2015 GPA 1.5 or higher AND passing at least 5 classes Spring 2016 Discipline eligibility = No loss of privileges AND approval by dean/administration For seniors ONLY – you must complete ONE of the following and have proof of completion on record in the College and Career Counselors Office o FAFSA o ASVAB o WorKeys What is prom? The proms of today are lavish affairs that come complete with hotel ballrooms, live bands, glamorous clothing, and stretch limousines. As the first formal event in the life of a teenager, attendance at the prom is now popularly considered a vital rite of passage to adulthood. Yet, proms were not always so lavish, expensive, or widespread. At one point during their history, proms were actually quite simple affairs. Proms were first mentioned in the high school yearbooks of the 1930s and 1940s, but historians believe they may have existed as early as the late 1800s. Proms first began in the elite colleges of the Northeast, taking their cue from the debutante balls of the rich and well bred. Middle class parents admired the poise and composure of debutantes and their escorts and began to institute formal dances as a means of instilling social skills and etiquette in their children. The dances were strictly chaperoned and were often restricted to only the senior class. The formal dance we now call prom was first christened “the prom” in the 1890s. The word prom is a shortened form of promenade, meaning a march of the guests at the beginning of a ball or other formal event. The first reference to prom in popular history comes from the journal of an Amherst College student who described his invitation and attendance at an early prom at Smith College in 1894. While the writer used the word prom to describe the dance, it was likely just a fancy name for a customary senior-class ball held at the college. Prom, while important in the college setting, would fail to take on iconic status until it emerged in high schools. When high school proms began in the early 1900s, they were relatively simple affairs. Students would come in their Sunday best, but would not purchase new clothes for the event. The occasion called for tea, socializing, and dancing. During the 1920s and 1930s, American youth began to experience more freedom with the arrival of the car and other luxury items. The high school prom expanded into a yearly class banquet at which seniors arrived in party clothes and danced. In the 1950s, as Americans enjoyed the luxury of the post-war economy, proms began to become elaborate, expensive events. It became very important to come with the best-looking date, and being named to the prom court guaranteed instant social status. It was also during the 1950s that teenage girls began to pay more attention to their prom dresses and make special shopping trips for the perfect outfit. While the high school gym was adequate for sophomore dances, the settings of junior and seniors proms were gradually moved to grander locations. In the 1980s, the prom began to take on larger-than-life stature, as several teen movies advertised it as the ultimate coming-of-age event in a young person’s life. Competition for the prom court intensified greatly, with the title of prom queen becoming closely akin to true royalty. Where is prom? Dinolfo’s Banquets 14447 W 159th St, Homer Glen, IL 60491 DiNolfo’s is a fully accessible ADA facility. When is prom? Saturday, May 14, 2016 7:00 – 11:00 pm (doors close at 9:00 – no one will be admitted after this) How much does prom cost? The Prom Committee is busy fundraising to reduce tickets prices as much as possible. The tickets should be no more than $95 per person. Tickets will be sold from 3/1/16 to 4/27/16. Tickets purchased after 4/27 will be charged a $25 late fee. No ticket can be purchased after 5/4/16. What else do I need to know about prom? All school fees MUST be paid before a prom ticket can be purchased. All dresses MUST be approved before a prom ticket can be purchased. All guests MUST be approved before a prom ticket can be purchased. If for any reason a student loses the privilege to attend prom after a ticket has been purchased, NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN. Who do I contact if I have any questions? Mrs. Daryle Ann Flaherty [email protected] 708-225-4881 (before 8:30 or after 2:30) Room 2537 (before 8:30 or after 2:30) .