The 2023 Marion Center Area High School prom was an unforgettable night that students will cherish for years to come. Held at the breathtaking Chesnut Ridge Golf Resort on May 12th, the theme for the night was “Under the Stars”, where students were able to dance the night away under a starry sky.

The junior class officers worked hard to make the prom night a huge success. Led by junior class president, Kaelee Elkin, the officers spent months planning and organizing the event. Not only did they choose the theme, but they also coordinated with vendors, selected the caterers, and arranged transportation for the night. Also, under the supervision and mentorship of Ms. Cirelli, Mya Lipsie, Abigail Smulik, and Lydia Miller worked diligently to create a large number of decorations for the event.

The junior class worked tirelessly, fundraising for the prom night. Of all the fundraisers the juniors held, the most successful one was the Chipotle fundraiser. Students and staff were invited to stop in at Chipotle in April, and with their food purchase, money was donated to the junior class.

The week leading up to prom, the junior class hosted a theme week, inviting students and staff to dress up each day according to the theme of the day. On Monday, the theme was “Prom Spirt”. Each grade had an assigned color to wear. Tuesday was “Twin Tuesday”, the students had fun dressing in matching outfits with their friends. Wednesday’s theme was “Shoot for the Stars” Students were encouraged to wear their favorite sports team jersey to school. Thursday’s theme day was back by popular demand, “Adam Sandler Day” or as we called it this year ” Movie Star Day” to fit with the prom theme. Students love the Adam Sandler day apparel, including baggy shorts, oversized t-shirts, and sneakers. And finally on Friday, the underclassmen were encouraged to participate in “Formal Friday” and dress if they too were ready to dance the night away.

The prom decorating committee was led by the junior class officers. The students that participated, took an entire school day to decorate the auditorium for Grand March. The decorating committee included:  Kaelee Elkin, Abbey Smulik, Lindsay Fulmer, Cobe Hankinson, Mareena James, Venecia Johnston, Brittany McIntire, Lydia Miller, Aliya James, Mya Lipsie, Candela Bautista, Evan Risinger, Mackenzie Thomas, and Anna Wilson.  They planned and decorated the auditorium to perfection. The committee’s vision was to create an enchanting night under the stars, complete with twinkling lights, gold and silver balloons, a fully lit arch walkway, and a hand-rhinestoned hanging moon to complete the look.

“Before we started decorating for the grand march, I genuinely didn’t know the amount of work that went into it.” Brittany McIntire said. “It was super fun though, a lot of work, but in the end, it was beyond worth it because it looked so beautiful.”

To kick off the night, the students had a grand entrance. The students arrived in style, some in fancy cars, some in limousines while others arrived in party buses. It was indeed a grand opening, and it set the tone for the rest of the evening.

The banquet was delightful, with a menu that catered to everyone’s taste buds. The menu included: Mixed Green Salad w/Ranch and Italian Dressing, Fresh Fruit Salad, Italian Antipasta Salad, Green Beans Almandine, Garlic Breadsticks, Assorted Dessert Bars, Chicken ParmesanCholce of one Pasta/Sauce, Penne w/ Marinara. 

Junior, Alexis Bias tells the Stinger News ” The breadsticks were the best part of the dinner, maybe even the best part of the entire night actually.”

Throughout the night, the students had plenty of photo opportunities with friends, both at Chesnut Ridge and in various local areas. Many students took advantage of the beautiful weather and were able to get tons of photos with their friends and families.

” I had so much fun taking photos, it was great to be surrounded by all of my friends while we all dressed up. We all looked and felt amazing.” Miranda Leasure tells the Stinger News.

All in all, the 2023 Marion Center Area High School prom, “Under the Stars” was a night filled with laughter, dance, and memories, thanks to the hard work of the junior class officers and the decorating committee. The night celebrated the end of the school year and was the perfect way to end the year with a bang.