Santa Paula High School Prom: 2011

“There's a big world out there. Bigger than prom, bigger than high school, and it won't matter if you were the prom queen or the quarterback of the football team or the biggest nerd. Find out who you are and try not to be afraid of it.”
-Unknown

This past Saturday night I was fortunate to once again experience the pageantry that is the Santa Paula High School Prom. Having seen our students grow and mature over the past four years it was pleasing to see them all dressed up and on their best behavior. The Padre Center in Camarillo was beautifully decorated, so much so, that they agreed to purchase several of our decorations from us. The Moroccan theme was highlighted by several belly dancing performances and a delectable dining experience.

As for the history behind Prom, the word is short for promenade, the formal parading of guests at a party. The prom can be traced back to the simple co-ed banquets that 19th century American universities held for each year's graduating class. One of the goals of these affairs was to help develop social skills and etiquette in the students.

A growing teenage culture pushed proms younger and younger, and by the 1940s the adolescent dance we know today had almost entirely taken hold. In the 1950s, a thriving postwar economy allowed high schools to replace the traditional gymnasium in favor of proms held in hotels or at country clubs.

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, the high school prom began to take on an almost iconic status as a rite of passage from high school into adulthood -- a life event for high school students. As the first formal event in their lives, the prom became the ultimate coming-of-age party for high school juniors and seniors.

According to research done by the University of North Dakota at Fargo’s Department of Home Economics, the typical prom couple spends an average of more than $500 on prom. Costs include buying or renting formal clothing, grooming, flowers, prom tickets, photographs and limousine rentals.

President Kennedy rescheduled a 1963 $1,000-a-plate fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton to accommodate a local school whose prom had been booked for the same time. In 1975, President Ford's daughter Susan held her high school's senior prom at possibly the best prom location ever: the White House

Santa Paula High School would like to thank all the ASB students that worked to make Saturday night such a success. Nicola Lamb and Michele Holmes deserve a tremendous amount of thanks for their tireless work organizing this event. A final thanks to all our students who participated and achieved the goal of displaying perfect social skills and etiquette.

Paul Marietti
Principal, Santa Paula High School