Karim Elbeshbeshy, junior officer, has been planning prom the past few months, tasting food and finding reservations for prom.

Prom will be held from  7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Frontenac Hilton, in Creve Coeur. on Saturday May 7.

Guests are encouraged to not eat beforehand because the prom menu is full of heavy appetizers ranging from sliders to quesadillas to crab rangoon. Desert is being catered from Sarah’s Cake Shop and Colleen’s Cookies.

Deciding on the theme was difficult for the planners, Elbeshbeshy said. The junior officers looked at a design book and found some theme options, he said, but the decision came down to significance.

“We settled on roaring 20s in sort of a tongue and cheek way of this being the first real prom of the 20s,” said Elbesbeshy.

Elbeshbeshy and the officers decided to go a different route with prom this year. Instead of the usual long prom tables, lounge tables were chosen to match the theme of Roaring 20s. Prom will also be held in a hotel, unlike past years where it has either been outside, or cancelled.

Attendents should expect a fully decorated ballroom and stage, a food bar with appetizers and refreshments and photo opportunities, according to Elbeshbeshy. 

Students can nominate juniors and seniors for prom court through a form on the MHS junior officers Instagram page. Voting will take place at prom on May 7 along with the crowning. 

Elbeshbeshy said the main goal for this year’s prom is to have a return to normal post COVID-19. Making it feel like a real prom instead of the odd ones they have had in past years, he said, is the officer’s main focus. 

“I know that’s the goal for a lot of schools, but I feel like we will do really well this year,” said Elbeshbeshy. 

Since prom is being held in a hotel this year instead of at the school, the pricing is expensive. The reservation at the Frontenac Hilton cost around $42,000. Lexi Kossman, junior treasurer, has been handling the budget and ticket sales and said she has been a little stressed out, but so far has not exceeded the budget. 

“I am excited for prom, but I feel like there is a lot of joy sucked out of it for me because of all the stress, but it will be normal,” said Kossman. 

This year, the prom committee is expecting to have around 600 students at prom. In past years, MHS has had up to 750 students in attendance, although last year there were only 300 because of the late approval of prom.

Janet Koch, business teacher, has been helping the junior class officers with prom. She has focused on coordinating and advertising for the event.

“It will be done very well. It will be an elegant event,” Koch said.