An MCHS student dismisses the idea of going to prom after learning the current requirements set in place for the 2024 year, only to hear from a friend a week before tickets are due that attendance and school fees are waived from the original list of requirements. They sit on the idea of what the experience would have been like for them while they listen to their friends’ stories about prom preparation. The new requirements for prom at MCHS for 2024 and a late reaction from staff have driven away interested students from the event.

After information for prom at MCHS was released, many were frustrated with specifically two of the requirements: school fees and the attendance policy, which happened to be new additions. In hearing student criticism and becoming more aware of state law, administration chose to get rid of these policies- although too late. Students were then frustrated with the lack of communication, as these policies were removed days before ticket sales were due.

For a majority of the student body, prom is a sought after event- from the venue’s environment, to making valuable memories with friends and the class. But before that night of fun, there is a lot of planning needed, and a lot of funds as well. Students that are working are doing so to save their money, provide for family and themselves, and to buy what is in their Amazon cart; the price rising in ticket cost alone is enough to make a student weary about their funds. Budgeting for an event that costs a student more than $100 will take more than a few days if that student believed they were not eligible until shortly before final sales.

Before a student can buy their attire for the dance after purchasing tickets, they have to additionally pay off any remaining school fees. Students with a lack of funding without explicit confirmation from the school would skip out on lunch in hopes of keeping debt low, and desperately searching for lost books throughout their room. Not only does it feel uncomfortable and stressful to find ways to cut costs, this was a violation of the school code as well. This policy was removed on April 3, when ticket sales were originally due April 5; the school failed to clearly alert the student body of these changes with acceptable time for students who now had the opportunity to go, plan for this event.

State mandates that its districts achieve a standard percentage in attendance throughout the year to observe and improve the students’ and school’s success. This overall percentage is set at 90%, allowing five days of absence with a doctor’s note, and five days in regards to mental health. Although set in place to motivate students to strive for a better attendance record and learning experience, some students felt frustrated. Students that were sick or injured without a note inherently used up their mental health days, while the students that needed both types of absences and did not have a note were then considered ineligible. Knowing that MCHS has struggled with attendance issues in recent years, there may be a different way to motivate students to come to school on a regular basis if they have the choice.

All large events have hiccups in general planning- students even have trouble with reservation cards. For such an event, the new requirements from prom did not particularly invite student participation to the whole body. To maximize profit and overall turnout, a balance needs to be found where students who deserve and also want to go to prom have the opportunity, no matter their circumstances.