Prom is something to look forward to in high school careers, but for the class of 2021, it has been up in the air whether or not they will get their prom this year due to COVID-19. Last year’s prom was cancelled and recently 2021’s prom was also cancelled. According to head principal Nathanael Hostetler, there were many aspects that came into play when this decision was made, such as venue and contact tracing. 

“We want to do as much as we can for the seniors without sacrificing one’s safety,” Hostetler said.

This announcement may come as a disappointment for some seniors. Some students even shared their own ideas as to how the district could have made it happen. One of those students is senior Zoe Meier.   

“It would have been nice to have one prom,” Meier said. “There are many different ways that they could have made this happen.” 

The email breaking the news of the cancellation of prom was sent to parents on Feb. 25. The email consisted of a long explanation of how and why they made this decision and how it all played out between all three of the FHSD high schools.

“The principals at all three Francis Howell School District high schools have made the decision to cancel the 2021 prom,” the email said. “The decision was not made lightly, but it is essential to protect the safety and health of our entire community.” 

Along with prom being cancelled, the email broke the news that graduation practice, senior awards and NHS inductions will all be held online. Graduation is still to be held in-person at the Family Arena on June 5.

“I thought it was cancelled from the start so it wasn’t that big of a shock to me,” senior Melena Hammond said. “It’s sad because I bought a dress last year and I was looking forward to wearing it this year but now I can’t wear it.”