On April 30, MCHS will be hosting the Senior Celebration Event 2021 “McHenry Mask-erade” in place of a traditional prom. All students signed up to attend the event will be participating in activities from 7-11 p.m.

“This event will include elements of a traditional prom while following the COVID-19 guidelines stipulated by the IDPH and CDC,” stated the event sent out to students. 

Students who attend the event will be required to wear masks throughout the entirety of the event as well as maintaining a distance of at least three feet.

In an additional effort to adhere to the IDPH and CDC guidelines, students will be rotating between the auditorium, Main gym, and caferitera at West Campus. 

“This event is a new approach that is special and dedicated to the hard work that seniors have put in for the past year,” said Reyna Sanchez, senior on the prom planning committee. “This is a privilege to even have any kind of social gathering and every senior should try and attend due to the fact that our administration is trying to put a foot forward and helping us feel normal in these strange times.”

Each rotation will feature a different activity for students to participate in, including a photo booth, picture taking area, and socially distant dancing to incorporate elements of a traditional prom. 

“We’ve hired a comedian from America’s Got Talent,” said Gina Adams, prom planning committee advisor. “And so one of the first sessions students will go watch a 20 minute bit from the comedian. Then we will have students rotate into the Warrior Room at West Campus, where there will be a senior tribute video that features faculty, staff, parents, giving little farewell, goodbye messages to all the seniors, as well as parents are donating raffle baskets that students can win.”

Included in the purchase of a ticket to the event, food will be provided to students by food trucks that will be outside of the cafeteria. 

“Part of the package is that students get meals from the food trucks, just little smaller meals,” said Adams. “We suggest students that are going to come and they eat a bigger meal, earlier the day or after they leave.”

Tickets were originally limited to the seniors of the class of 2021 but, as of April 15, tickets were made available to juniors and the deadline to purchase them has been extended, due to lack of sales.

“It’s not very costly or too long,” said Jackie Wolf, senior on the prom planning committee. “The entertainment is supposed to be really good and the event is going to be a good time overall. Also, Adams and [Meghan] Steck have worked really hard on putting this all together for us despite the difficulties we have right now with the pandemic so seniors could thank them by attending the event.”

Tickets can be purchased in-person through April 29 in either Adams’ or Megan Steck’s respective classrooms. Tickets are $25. 

“[Students] will get a lot out of it for $25. they will get to have some entertainment, the opportunity to get some raffle baskets, still be able to dance, and then also be fed that night,” said Adams. “I really want to encourage students to do it so that they can say that they were part of something that was completely original and different.”