OXFORD – What do you get when you decorate a high school gym with voluminous amounts of gossamer and tulle? A gym.
No matter how you dress it up, prom just doesn’t feel like prom when it is held in the same high school gym that every other dance is held in.
Members of the Junior Class Prom Committee successfully made that point to the Oxford School Board on Monday night. After a detailed presentation, they were granted permission to hold their Junior Prom at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich. It is the first time in the modern history of the school that students have been allowed to hold the event off campus.
Representing the Prom Committee at the board of education meeting were Oxford Juniors Kim Shackelton, Jaime Smolcnop and Ashley Nichols and class advisor Tim Calice. They came armed with information gathered from student and faculty surveys as well as historical data from other schools. Their legwork paid off.
Having the prom at the Country Club would make it a “once in a lifetime memorable event,” said Shackelton, whereas holding it in the high school gym would be “nothing different” from other dances held throughout the year.
At past proms, she said, students have driven as far as Oneonta or Binghamton to have dinner in small groups, some spending upwards of $50 per person for the meal.
“We can have our whole class there to have dinner together,” said Shackelton. Having the formal dinner and dance together, would actually save money for some, and make the prom as an experience for the entire class to enjoy together, the junior explained.
Shackelton said that the prom committee has agreed to use some of the money raised for decorations to subsidize the cost for class members who might have trouble affording the prom.
According to Shackelton, the prom committee surveyed current Juniors and Seniors to gauge their interest in having the prom at an alternate location.
“More people are willing to go if we have it someplace else,” she reported.
The junior also stated that teachers and staff members at the school are in support of the idea as well. “They believe students will behave better,” said Shackelton.
Although plans have not been finalized for the After Prom Party, the junior class is hoping to have it once again at the Norwich YMCA.
“Transportation to the After Prom Party would be easier,” said Shackelton, referring to the proximity of Canasawacta Country Club to the YMCA.
Not having the prom in the high school gym will also mean that physical education classes will not be displaced to allow time for decorations to be put up and taken down, reported the junior.
Prom committee members won’t need to skip class either, she said. “No one will need to leave class to decorate the gym.”
“The Country Club has done many proms before,” added Nichols, stressing that the venue was well aware of the complexities of holding such an event.
“My concern is spectators,” said board member John Godfrey. “I can see that as a potential problem.”
In response, Nichols cited attendance figures at other proms held at the restaurant. She included numbers from Norwich, where class sizes are substantially larger.
Although Godfrey and fellow board member Gene Rood had their reservations, they agreed to allow the event to be held off campus for this year to see how it works out.
After the presentation, school board president Robin DeBrita and some of the other board members praised the prom committee members on their presentation.
“They did their research and were prepared,” said board member Mark Roach.
High School Principal Christine Pierce was also favorably impressed by the work the committee has put in.
“The students have done a fantastic job fundraising and have worked together as a class with their advisors to investigate options available to them,” said Pierce. “They prepared well for their presentation [Monday] evening. I fully support their efforts.”