Seniors scramble to pay for prom, activities
A large poster is displayed at the entrance to the school to show how much money the Class of 2020 needs to pay for prom and other traditional senior activities. Prom sponsors have said they need to raise a total of $40,000 to pay for everything.
February 18, 2020
With less than 90 days until the senior prom, the Class of 2020 is scrambling to raise the $40,000 estimated to be needed to provide it with the traditional send-off activities that Akins seniors typically enjoy.
The Class of 2020 had a late start with finding a faculty sponsor to help guide their fundraising efforts. Health science teachers Jennifer Pittaway and Chevy Hernandez volunteered to take on the role in September, which put them behind when most classes start their fundraising efforts.
The senior class brought in about $7,700 from selling cookie dough and water bottles. The major expense to pay for is the cost of renting the ballroom at the Hyatt Downtown hotel, which has been reserved as the prom venue.
Much of the cost of prom tickets will go toward paying the cost of the ballroom, but there are other expenses, as well, including the DJ, caterer, and decorations.
Senior Mia Garza said she thinks working to have a nice prom is important.
“I think it’s worth going to it’s an experience to have like with all your friends and it’s like the like one of the last things like you do as like a class and like with everyone before everyone goes their separate ways,” she said.
To raise awareness of the problem, the prom sponsors and a group of seniors have placed posters in the hall to let them know how important it is for students to get involved. Garza said she is concerned that her class doesn’t seem to care to do the work.
“I feel like some students care, like 2% care, and the rest is really don’t care,” she said. “And I mean they care but they don’t. They’re not willing to do anything about it. And it just shows like at the meetings and stuff if they don’t come then they don’t care.”
Some students sold bottles of water to drivers in the Southpark Meadows shopping center on a Sunday afternoon in January, but not many students showed up to do the work.
Pittaway said that there will be a fundraising event at Schlotzsky’s on Feb. 19 and there are plans to sell popcorn soon. Her advice to the Class of 2020 is to get involved if they want to have a nice prom, as well as other activities like the annual senior breakfast and senior barbecue.
“Don’t talk about it; be about it,” she said.
