Dancing through Vintage Hollywood: Prom 2021

Used with permission by Alex Van Alstyne

Vintage vehicles! Juniors Shruthi Kapoor and Alex Van Alstyne sit in the vintage bicycle the school rented for the aesthetic. There were many places around the venue for perfect photo-ops to create lasting memories.

Chris Bunker, Maggie Craig, and Lisa Holiday
April 30, 2021

Long, shimmering dresses and matching ties, boxes of corsages and endless rounds of photos: Prom is an annual tradition that marks a monumental moment in the lives of high school students. The dance is a rite of passage to symbolize one last night of youth before adulthood. However, due to the pandemic, SFHS made alterations to the event in order to comply with the CDC guidelines. Nonetheless, it was still a magical evening for many, and everyone was grateful that the school was able to pull off an in-person prom this year.

One of the many changes to prom this school year was that the school staff distributed masks, took the temperatures of the dancers, and directed students to the entrance of the ballroom at the Hotel Avalon. Inside, students checked in at their table according to alphabetical order. Giant doorways led into the ballroom of the hotel. The lights were dim and there were tables all around the outskirts of the room on carpet, surrounding the wooden dance floor. A breathtaking light fixture aided in the soft lighting of the dance floor below. At one corner of the room, guests would find two photo booths, one of which utilized an old automobile in order to emphasize the “Old Hollywood” theme for this year’s prom. On the opposite side of the ballroom, students could find a table of snacks along with a refrigerator full of water bottles. Students were able to make prom night one to remember by sending in song requests via a Google Form. A disco ball by the DJ at the edge of the dance floor helped set the tone as students danced the night away.

One of the most significant traditions of any prom is to have the announcement of two individuals as prom royalty. Later into the evening, Mr. Wolff announced the winners of the prom court. Juniors of the prom court included Swetha Pendela, Jimmy Phan, Ishita Raghuvanashi, and Emory Hilton. Seniors of the prom court included Ryan Bohn, Bradley Hutcheson, Esther Kim, and Jack D’Amico. The winners of Prom Royalty were Yash Sajjan and Josie Malave. Students spent the remainder of the evening dancing and creating memories that would last a lifetime. The night ended with a slow dance to unwind and conclude the prom.

Overall, the event was a success for the juniors and seniors of SFHS, especially when the school issued COVID-19 guidelines. Everyone had a great time; and although the mask-wearing serves as a fun new accessory for prom, the underclassmen are ready to have a classic dance once again. Click the gallery to view pictures from prom!

About the Writers

Chris Bunker, Photo Editor

Chris Bunker is starting his junior year with a bang by strengthening his knowledge in journalism and making new connections with his peers. Throughout the year, Chris is hoping to make the varsity soccer team, as well as write a variety of stories about the sport. Chris’ passions include playing soccer and hanging out with his family. Chris is really excited to continue writing stories for The Bird Feed. He is also really interested in photography and learning more about diverse topics of writing. He is super excited for his third year as Photo Editor/Social Media Lead. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter @cristfur.in.a.bunker.

Maggie Craig, Editor-In-Chief

Maggie Craig is currently a senior at SFHS and is super excited to be this year's Editor-in-Chief for The Bird Feed. If she isn’t writing stories, you will find her jamming out on her guitar or ukulele. She is a performer at heart and is a member of the voice company at RISPA. Maggie loves musicals such as Waitress and Miss Saigon. In her spare time, she binge-watches anime and plays on her Nintendo Switch. Never hesitate to approach her and say hello because she loves meeting new people. You can contact her through her email @[email protected] or through her Twitter @Smrcraig108.

Lisa Holiday, Staff Writer

Lisa Holiday is a senior at South Forsyth High School participating in journalism for her second year. Her passions include photography, writing, and helping others. She has done volunteer work through The National Honors Society and Key Club for Meals By Grace and other organizations. You can find her taking and editing photos of nature or enjoying a cup of coffee with her friends. She joined The Bird Feed in hopes of making an impact on other people’s lives by investigating the world of psychology in her journalism as well as being more involved in school events. You can contact her at [email protected] or her Twitter, @Lisa91845159.

Saahithya Gutta, Lifestyle & Features Editor, Social Media Lead

Saahithya Gutta is thrilled to return to The Bird Feed as a senior. This year, she is the arts & entertainment editor, features editor, and co-lead of social media. She hopes to grow the arts & entertainment page and expand the types of articles that the newspaper publishes. She has a deep fascination with astrology and hopes to bring that to the newspaper through an astrology column. In her free time, she loves learning about interior design and restoring old houses, making art, and learning new languages. She’s currently working on Italian. She is also still working on convincing her mother to let her eat an entire tub of ice cream. Saahithya wants to make the most of her senior year and she is optimistic that this year will be great. You can reach her through her Twitter, @Thya_G, or you can contact her at [email protected].