"It's got to be the most important night," she said. "For a girl, it's a very special night."
Students at all three area high schools are gearing up to dance, spend time with their date, and, well, spend a lot of money at their senior proms.
The Emerson Bulldogs will be having their prom in the Grand Hall of the Venetian Restaurant in Garfield on May 27.
"We've basically been getting everything ready since June of last year," said senior Kathleen Torres, 17, class treasurer.
Through the aid of their class advisors Josephine Russo and Rica Constantinides, the seniors were able to book their ideal location.
"We wanted to have flower arrangements of the tables, red roses," said Kathleen. "Ms. Constantinides is helping with the flower arrangements."
This year's Emerson prom theme is Hollywood, and as party favors, the seniors will each receive a photo album in the shape of a movie clap board/scene slate.
The hall, which will be decorated in red and white, will include a sit down dinner and a DJ hired to let the kids dance the night away. Tickets were sold at $90 each, and approximately 205 students will be attending Emerson.
"I got my tux, got the limo, and everyone who's going in the limo," said senior Lee Bahr, 19. "I'm excited, I wish it was sooner."
The prom committee who helped organize the event consisted of about 15 members and additional volunteers.
Memorial
The Memorial Tigers have booked the Sheraton Crossroads Hotel in Mahwah as the backdrop for their senior prom on May 27.
"It started last year trying to find a place, and checking first if it was affordable," said Joni Haas, senior class advisor. "Also making sure that the menu was something that the kids would want."
Helping Haas along in this project was Scott Simpson, senior class advisor.
"He gets hats off from me for all he's done," said Haas. "I don't know what I would have done without him."
Again, preparations for the prom were a collaborative effort between the senior class advisors and the senior class officers. They saw to everything from the picturesque settings of the location to the food, and getting the right DJ.
"If you don't have a good DJ, your prom will go down the drain," said Haas. "We wanted it to be something the kids could afford and enjoy."
The tickets themselves were also about $90 each, like at Emerson. However, their strategy for collecting the money was different.
"90 percent of the seniors are already paid," said Simpson. "In January they were able to make a deposit for the prom."
About 400 students will be attending Memorial's prom.
"We also asked the students to give us a list of who they want to sit with," said Simpson of the seating arrangements, 12 to a table.
The prom will run from about 7 p.m. to midnight, and will include a sit-down dinner.
"I went crazy looking for my dress," said senior Natalie Soto, 18. "Everybody has every color, so I just got black."
Memorial's theme is At Last. Maroon and gold balloons will adorn the tables of the Sheraton, and the seniors will also be receiving a photo album as their party favor.
Union Hill
Finally the Union Hill Hillers will be holding their prom at the Perona Farms in Andover on May 28. Again through a collaboration of a senior prom committee and two faculty advisors, all preparations have been set for the Union Hill prom.
"Basically we have a senior class committee; advisors, myself and Mr. Rennie; and we start off the year by meeting up with them," said Mike Realpe, 27. "Choosing the place comes down to the kids more than us. We'll give suggestions, but bottom line it comes down to whether their happy with it."
Traditionally Union Hill's prom is held at the Venetian, but Emerson had already booked the location last year. Since these two advisors had only been assigned to the senior class this year, the search for a location didn't begin until about September.
"If it's within reason, it's where they want to have it," said Realpe.
Since the Perona Farms are a little further away than their used to traveling, the advisors came up with the unique idea of busing the kids their on charter buses. This way they would avoid the hassles of getting lost, reduce the risk of drinking and driving, as well as save a couple of hundred on a limo.
Out of the approximately 276 students attending the prom, 150 chose to be bused.
"I strongly urged it, and it's a nice charter bus," said Realpe. "It's $20 for the bus, and $65 per ticket."
The Union Hill prom will also run from 7 p.m. to midnight. The kids will get a sit-down dinner. Before the prom they receive keepsake invitations. The decorations, DJ, and flowers are all taken care of as well, and for the party favors the kids will receive keepsake champagne glasses.
"Traditionally we always order them glasses," said Realpe.
The theme for this year's prom is More Than Words. The primary colors for decorations that would best compliment the room are ivory and white, and the glasses for the kids will be silver.
This is the second formal event held for the seniors of Union Hill. Traditionally they also throw a formal for their senior polls the first week of February. After that, the main focus is shifted to prom.
"Senior polls is a big event, its right up there with prom," said Realpe.
Seating arrangements are also currently being worked out for 10 to a table.
"The kids do a great job here," said Realpe. "We give them some directions, some deadlines, and we leave it up to them. It's their prom."
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