On Saturday, May 5, the fifth floor of the JW Marriot in Brickell was buzzing with excitement as the graduating class of 2014 celebrated their prom. Students gathered to enjoy one of the most anticipated nights of the year. The ladies spent months perfecting their dresses and preparing for the night. All the gentleman sported dapper tuxes and suits of all colors and cuts. Seniors and their dates danced the night away after enjoying a terrific meal. This year’s prom was readily received.

To capture the action, professional photographers, a videographer and a photo booth were at the event for the nights’ memories. Their dates and friends, both from CGHS and not, got to pose for pictures that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. After enjoying dinner in the warm glow of the ballroom, the attendees began to dance-even Ms. Verazain was spotted grooving out on the dance floor. With less than a month till graduation, prom is one of the last opportunities of the year that seniors have to spend together before they graduate and go their separate ways.

The junior board arrived to the site  at 8:00 a.m to decorate the ballroom. Centerpieces included gold branches, green moss, candles, and large silver vases with baby breaths as flowers.

“I loved working prom. It was so much fun to be with everyone and see all of the seniors dressed up. It was a lot of work, but well worth every ounce of effort. My favorite part was dancing with my board; I love them and I couldn’t have asked for a better crew. I’m so happy everyone liked the decorations; we went through a lot of stress to put them together, but we pulled it off in the end,” junior Carla Stieghorst said.

The whole event lasted from 8 p.m till midnight. At 10:30 p.m, the prom king and queen were announced. The seniors had an opportunity to vote for this year’s king and queen as they entered the festivities, so the entire voting process was done on the spot. In a pool of four choices, the senior class voted Cole Scanlon prom king. The crowd cheered as Principle Costa proclaimed him king, and the crowd clapped as Alexis Mendez was crowned prom queen. The pair shared a slow, romantic dance in the limelight. At the end of the song, king Scanlon dutifully handed off Mendez to her boyfriend Javier Fernandez and the festivities continued. The teens packed onto the dance floor to continue partying the night away.

“It was definitely a night that I will remember for the rest of my life; everything was so beautiful. Being chosen prom queen is not something many people get to experience. I was that girl who got to dance with the prom king. For me, it was such a magical time. It really goes to show that all of the handwork that everyone in activities has put in to make the might so wonderful was well worth it. It really seems like this year’s prom was better than last year. I want to see if they can make it even better next year,” senior Alexis Mendez said.

At the prom, the DJ’s music ranged from the 80’s and 90’s to the top hits of today. The whole crowd was electrified on the dance floor.

“Prom was amazing. The food was great, the music was great, and the people were even greater. It was a great way to almost end my senior year before graduation; it was a great way to party with them before we all leave,” senior Tia Caldwell said. 

The whole event was a major success. The attendees enjoyed the music, food, and company, and as for seniors it was a night to remember. Next year promises to be even better.

“I went for the experience and to be with my friends. The food was surprisingly good, and everyone looked beautiful. I was so excited to see everyone together. For us seniors, it’s one of the last times we are going to be together in one place untill graduation, so prom is like one big party,” senior Paulina Picciano said.