As students scatter into the Schaumurg Renaissance Center, their senses are filled, maybe even overwhelmed. Strong scents of perfume and food fill the air, dueling with the loud music and excited chatter around the room. This roaring 20s themed prom turned out to be a roaring dance.

Students and staff members, such as freshman English teacher Leah Nolan enjoyed the dance and made memories that will last forever, especially for their first ever official prom.

“This was the first MCHS dance that I have attended or chaperoned. I really enjoyed it,” explained Nolan. “Prom really exceeded my expectations. My own prom was not this nice. The venue was beautiful and spacious and the food was great.”

After having a “Masquerade” during COVID, many had high expectations for this years dance, though others had low expectations of the event. The Prom Committee, run by Gina Adams and Meghan Steck, had been meeting since the beginning of second semester to plan and prep for prom. 

“Being on the prom committee was a lot of fun,” senior Rachael Gorham says. “It was really cool to see how much work went into planning a huge event. We spent a lot of time making sure everything went smoothly. Even though we had some bus issues, I believe a lot of people had a ton of fun.”

“The best part was announcing who won king and queen with Audrey Whitman,” she adds. “We tried our best to make it memorable.”

Malory Karasek and Enrique Robles were crowned prom king and queen respectively. Like many, Karasek held high hopes for prom, and was able to confidently say she, alongside her friends, had a great night.

The prom committee put together all the center pieces for the tables, taste tested the food, promoted the dance through social media, and helped hand out tickets. Even though it was nerve racking, prom came together in the end for the better.

“The turn out was amazing,” explains Gorham. “Everyone looked amazing! People went all out for prom this year,” 

The most exciting part of prom for many is the crowing of the queen and king. Holding those titles are Malory Karasek and Enrique Robles. Like many, Karasek held high hopes for prom, and was able to confidently say she, alongside her friends, had a great night.

Expectations for next year’s prom have certainly been raised, but one thing is for sure — everyone had a roaring time at the 2022 Gatsby Gala.