On June 2, 2022, Cherry Hill High School East hosted its annual Senior Prom at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia, PA. With around 570 people in attendance, the event provided the Class of 2022 with a traditional and exciting prom experience after two years of uncertainty.

This year, the Class of 2022’s SGA opted to drop the theme for a more classic prom experience. In turn, they selected a venue that felt timeless. When the night began, students entered a vast ballroom—an elegant reception space with a chandelier adorning the ceiling, pristinely set tables surrounding the dance floor, sophisticated catering staff, and an ice sculpture depicting the number “2022.”

“The venue was really, really pretty,” said Elena Suarez (‘22), one of the seniors who attended the event.

Along with sticking to traditionalism, this year’s Senior Prom still offered a few modern twists. Colorful lights and smoke machines filled the room as music blared from the DJ booth. Students could also get professional and “photo-booth style” pictures throughout the night.

Many seniors, including Ava Klinger (‘22), cited these free photo opportunities as one of their favorite aspects of the event.

Another stand-out aspect of this year’s prom was the food. For dinner, students could select bread, salad, various kinds of pasta, salmon, chicken, and mashed potatoes—a crowd favorite. There were also tables offering dessert foods and sodas. At the end of the night, students cooled down with a mini ice cream bar and cake.

While students seemed to enjoy the venue and the food, the most memorable aspect of this year’s Senior Prom was the energy among the student body.

A lot of the excitement occurred on the dance floor. With almost every familiar song, attendees rushed to the center of the room to dance with their peers.

Songs like Pitbull’s “Hotel Room Service” caused the floor to noticeably shake from students jumping to the beat. “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind, & Fire caused some attendees to form a large dance circle. Overall, students’ reactions to this music exemplified the event’s energy.

“The vibes [were] immaculate,” said Michael Epstein (’22), another attendee.

Epstein also said he enjoyed the overwhelmingly enthusiastic energy felt throughout the prom.

Last year, East had to hold both Junior and Senior Prom outdoors due to COVID-19 restrictions. Students also had limits on outside attendees. This year, however, seniors celebrated their prom without these restrictions. Some speculated that decreased anxiety about COVID-19 added to the excitement at Senior Prom this year.

Mr. Charles Davis, East’s Director of Activities and chaperone of the event, said there was a noticeable difference in the energy of this year’s prom compared to those in 2021—a difference he attributed to decreased anxieties surrounding COVID-19.

“I think this is more of a normal prom, and I think we [saw] a lot of kids having fun because of it,” Davis said.

Davis, whose birthday was also on the day of the event, saw first-hand their excitement—with hundreds of attendees serenading him with a loud rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

The Class of 2022’s Senior Prom proved students can still celebrate and enjoy a traditional prom together after a very untraditional high school experience.