By: Ainsley Northrop

Editor-in-Chief

After months of planning, the Los Gatos High School leadership team held Senior Prom on May 10 at Levi’s Stadium. A long-anticipated annual event, prom served as one of the final high school bonding experiences for the soon-graduating class of 2025.

Both members of the Leadership class since their freshman years, seniors Gianna Conway and Ava Thompson did the bulk of the planning for this year’s dance. Conway, the senior class president, explained the process: “First, we decided where we wanted to have prom, and then we had to book the venue, DJ, and photographer. Then, we had to work out the details like decorations, food, games, and centerpieces, as well as ticket sales.” This year, the team settled on the theme of the Golden Gala because as Senior Class Vice President Thompson explained, they “liked the idea of elegant decorations.” To adhere to their chosen theme, Thompson and Conway communicated with Levi’s and vendors for decorations, and Conway assembled centerpieces for each table at the event.

Conway explained that one of the biggest challenges was securing the venue and maximizing its benefits: “Working with Levi’s was hard because they are under construction for hosting the Super Bowl next year. Because we couldn’t see the field during the event, and Levi’s was busy, we had to figure out ways to compensate for that.” To do so, Conway and Thompson ensured that Senior Prom had several games for students to play, high-quality snacks and beverages, professional decorations such as an LGHS sign and photobooth, and ambient golden lighting. Senior Megan Jurek concurred, “I really liked the venue. It was nice to see all my friends and the games were pretty cool.”

Both Conway and Thompson deemed planning the dance a growing experience that improved their communication skills. Thompson reasoned, “You had to be able to manage and talk to a lot of people, and you had to be clear about what you wanted… There’d be a lot going on, and Levi’s has several events, too, so we had to communicate ahead of time.” While it was a difficult process, both seniors emphasized the fun they had while planning it, especially because it was their last big leadership event of their high school career.

Thompson detailed that beyond being a fun night, “Prom creates a sense of class community.” She detailed, “People feel like they have a place to belong in the school and that they are kind of part of something greater than themselves. So I think people can feel a sense of pride in their class.”  

While the year is nearing its end, LGHS Leadership still has a few events in store: Senior Decision Day on May 20, a Blood Drive on May 22, and additional “Senior Week” activities. Reflecting on her time spent in leadership and at LGHS in general, Thompson concluded, “Senior Prom was a good way to kind of celebrate the end of the four years we’ve had together at Los Gatos.”