The 2021-2022 MHS prom is all set, according to Class of 2023 Vice President, junior Pauline Nguyen. It will take place at The Tech Interactive in downtown San Jose on April 30, 2022, from 7-11 p.m.
Based on The Tech Interactive health and safety guidelines, masks are optional but highly recommended for entry. No proof of vaccination is required to enter the museum, according to the guidelines. However, masks and vaccines may be mandated by the Milpitas Unified School District or Santa Clara County, Nguyen said.
“The Tech will adhere to the client’s safety and health policies within the event space. If the event exceeds 1,000 guests, we will follow state guidelines for large events,” according to The Tech Interactive health and safety guidelines.
Only current juniors and seniors are allowed to attend prom, according to Class of 2023 Secretary Annalise Ho. However, each person is allowed to bring one guest, as long as they are in high school, she said.
“Prom is traditionally only supposed to be for seniors and juniors,” Ho said. “A venue that could hold 3,200 students would be like Levi Stadium, which is way out of our budget.”
This year’s prom has three ticket sales, according to Ho. As of the time this story was written, Ho said tickets were sold for $90 at the cafeteria during the blowout sale on April 4. Tickets sold at the student bank during the early bird sale from April 5 to April 6 are $95, and regular ticket pricing is $100 from April 7 to April 20, she said. All ASB cardholders are given a $5 discount to ticket prices, she said. Invited guests are not subject to these sales and must pay $100 regardless, she said. Milpitas Middle College and Cal Hills students will also be able to purchase tickets for the MHS prom.
The theme of this year’s prom is a masquerade, according to Nguyen. A formal dress code is required, she said. Students will receive a letter of invitation upon purchasing a ticket, but it is not required to bring the letter on the day of the ball, she said. Students are encouraged to bring their own masquerade masks, since none will be provided by the school, she said. The formal title of the dance is “A Moonlit Mystery”, she said.
The entire museum will be opened during prom, according to Nguyen. The structure of the prom will be separated into three levels. The dance itself will be on the first floor, and a DJ taking song requests will be there. On the second floor, appetizers, desserts, and drinks will be served in a buffet style, she said. When a break is needed, students can roam freely and explore the museum and all of its attractions themselves on the third floor, Nguyen said.
“We couldn’t really do a sit-down dinner because of covid,” Nguyen said. “We’ve always done light appetizers compared to big dinners; the logic behind that was that students and their friends could go out and have dinner before the dance or they could even have a super late dinner party after.”
If dancing is not your thing, the magnificent IMAX Dome theater will be playing a movie starting at 9 p.m., according to Ho. Seating will be first come first served, and a maximum of 180 people is allowed to enter at a time, she said. Photo booths will also be available for students, she said.
It has been two years since MHS had a prom, according to Nguyen. The Tech Museum was chosen to hold this year’s dance because a deposit made for the 2019-2020 prom was still unused, according to Ho. Next year’s prom is planned to be in San Francisco, she said. The venue itself has yet to be decided, she said. MHS switches locations for its annual prom between San Jose and San Francisco every year, she said.