Last year, prom was pushed back into the summer and ultimately canceled due to COVID concerns. This year, after over an entire year of dealing with the pandemic, and learning to abide by new norms, LZ’s final dance of the year has been adjusted to fit CDC recommendations.

“At the beginning of the year, [junior class board] had the mindset of ‘we are definitely going to plan [prom], with the full intention of it maybe not happening’,” Jacob Belovicz, junior class board vice president of decorations and court, said. “Throughout the whole year, it was never our choice whether or not prom was happening – that was always Mr. Rubenstein’s [decision], and he’s been very helpful through the whole process. We didn’t even know there was going to be a prom [for sure] until second semester this year.”

Despite the uncertainty of the event, prom will be taking place on Friday, May 21. The dance will be held entirely at the high school, where dinner will occur in small, socially distanced, groups outside on the tennis courts. Afterward, students will enter the building and rotate between three areas to see the magician-comedian, play indoor games including mini-golf, and of course, dance with their friends.  

“I’m excited for mini-golf,” Tess Vages, senior, said. “I think eating dinner outside and seeing the magician will be fun [but overall], I just appreciate [the fact] that we’re having a prom. It may not be the most amazing dinner and it’s going to be more abnormal, but I’m just excited to get dressed up, [attend] this senior rite of passage, and have that end-of-the-year experience.”

For Vages, who has already attended one LZ prom, the new format is actually preferable to the old, despite COVID circumstances. 

“[Prom sophomore year] was super long. The food wasn’t the best and we didn’t leave the hotel till like, 11 o’clock, and I just remember getting home and being so tired,” Vages recalls. “So I think this year, it’s actually going to be an improvement. The prom’s only going to be two hours long, so there’ll be a smaller time frame, and I heard the food will be better.”

After months of planning, Belovicz hopes that everyone will have a good time. 

“I’m happy with how everything’s turning out,” Belovicz said. “The best-case scenario is that everyone stays safe and follows the rule, nobody contracts anything, and people have a good time. Even if it’s very different this year, I hope people still see the joy behind the event and enjoy their time there and for the seniors, have a good parting.”