In their finest
Prom is as American an institution as Friday night football games and cafeteria food. For many high schoolers, the highly anticipated evening looms from the day the school year begins: Who’s going to go? How will they dress? What will go down on the dance floor?
Decades later, the pageantry of corsages and cummerbunds can seem a little silly. But any adult who once attended prom has to admit that it’s a memorable rite of passage. A few bars of that one song from a night long ago, and suddenly you’re a teenager, teetering on heels or tucked into a tux, trying to act the part of the adult you’re about to become.
Like so many students, Madisyn Swanson, Lily Marchant, Hannah Dorr and Morgan Brown (pictured above, from left), all seniors at Mahtomedi, were looking forward to attending prom until COVID-19 canceled group gatherings.
Like so many students, Madisyn Swanson, Lily Marchant (pictured above, from left), Hannah Dorr and Morgan Brown, all seniors at Mahtomedi, were looking forward to attending prom until COVID-19 canceled group gatherings.
While Dorr acknowledges her disappointment with missing the night she expected, she’s looking forward to the foursome’s alternate plan of socially distanced takeout and movies: “Not as fun as prom would have been, but at least I will be with them,” she said.
Morgan Brown
Senior, Mahtomedi High School
Lily Marchant
Senior, Mahtomedi High School
Madalyne Swanson
Senior, Mahtomedi High School
“I had people ask me already, but I wasn’t sure who I was going to go with yet. But I had someone in mind. I was gonna wear my favorite color and I wanted my date to wear a purple dress, a royal magenta color, like a costume. I wanted my hair to be nice and cut. I wanted to rent a car, like a fast sports car — I was looking into a BMW i8 or a Lamborghini. I wanted to go all out because I hadn’t been before.
When it got canceled, I wasn’t too bummed. But then I started to think about how I will never get to go now, and I started to care. I knew it would’ve been fun even though I still hadn’t picked a date. Now I won’t get to see my family sending me off and smiling because on my prom day I will be at home.”
Dredrick Cox Jr.
Senior, Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Abigail Roh
Senior, Breck School
Carly McCue
Senior, Breck School
Lyric Robinson
Senior, St. Louis Park High School
Ella Cain
Senior, Breck School
Josie Wilmes
Senior, Central High School
Maggie Broyles
Senior, Breck School
“We were going to do pictures and then make our way to dinner and then do a party bus. Our prom was supposed to be today, but we don’t really have any plans. We’re just hanging out.”
Zach Walton
Senior, Farmington high school
“We had Chick-fil-A and now we’re watching movies. I was looking forward to prom so we could have our last school dance together. Next year, he can come back and be a super senior.”
Abigail Shearer
Junior, Farmington high school
Claudia McCarron
Senior, Washburn High School
Hannah Dorr
Senior, Mahtomedi High School
Ila Dovre Wudali
Senior, Central High School
Caidyn Krause and Ethan Marsich
Seniors, Eastridge High School
“Prom is kind of the epitome of pointless, high school fun. Getting ready was always a magical moment. I did the shopping and primping with my mom. Then, I would go downstairs and surprise my dad. It was one of those rare moments where I was perfectly content with being in that in-between stage: Somehow I’m both my parents’ little girl and a beautiful young woman.”
Boatemaa Agyeman-Mensah
Senior, Breck School
Ben Parsonage
Junior, Nova Classical Academy
Aidan Curry
Senior, Breck School
Elizabeth Berman
Senior, Breck School
Serafina Rivera
Senior, Nova Classical Academy
“My prom plans included dinner with friends, photos on the Stone Arch Bridge, attending the dance, and hanging out with my friends afterward. Although I was never a big fan of the dance itself, it feels awful to have that opportunity taken out from under me. Instead of attending a traditional prom, my friends and I have been doing our best to make memories over FaceTime instead of in person.”
Gretchen North
Senior, Washburn High School
Grace Kelm
Senior, Breck School
Grace Scott
Senior, Breck School
Sam Detor
Senior, Breck School
Maddie Kelly
Senior, Washburn High School
“I had a prom drive-by that my parents organized. All my family and some close friends came by and they had posters that they made for me, along with flowers. I made the playlist of songs that I wanted to play. I was kind of hurt that I didn’t get to have a traditional senior prom — it was supposed to be one of the most important events of the year — but my drive-by was really exciting!”
Tavian Walker
Senior, Fridley high school
Credits
Photography Leila Navidi
Reporting Rachel Hutton, Leila Navidi
Photo editing Kevin Martin
Copy editing Connie Nelson, Bill Hammond, Maren Longbella
Design Anna Boone, Jamie Hutt, Josh Penrod
Development Anna Boone