With senior year coming to a close, the class of 2023 experienced one last special memory, prom. Seniors went to the school dance, had dinner with friends, and took pictures at the monuments in D.C. One thing everyone experienced was a special night.

The dance took place at the Bethesda Marriott on Pooks Hill Road. With an opening price of $35 tickets, they were cheaper than in past years but increased to around $45 after Apr. 16. The dance lasted from 7-11 p.m. on May 20. Soft drinks, bottled water, fruit drinks, and ice cream were provided, along with games for students to play while enjoying the dance.

With the dance not starting till seven p.m., students enjoyed going to dinner with friends. Fancy or not, just being with friends can make prom night that much more special. “My friends and I were supposed to go to Kabuto, a Japanese steakhouse and hibachi restaurant. We ended up missing our reservation and ate McDonalds instead,” senior Nikhil Bakshi said.

At 9:30 p.m. during the dance, the senior votes were in, and the court was chosen. The finalists were Kaitlin Mariani, Stacy Sun, Hope Safai, Drew Sill, Ben Kleinman, and Yule Pieters. The winners were… Mariani and Pieters. “It was an honor to win the award of prom king. I didn’t think I was going to come away with it in the end but I’m thankful for all who voted and supported me along the way,” Pieters said.

Prom also offered entertainment for students, including a dance floor with a DJ, a photo booth, and pictures of teachers while they were young to see if you could guess who it was. “I loved guessing the teachers on the wall and it was so fun to see the teachers in a different look I have never seen before,” senior Zach Haledjian said.

A big part of the prom experience is taking photos with friends and family at parks, in backyards, or at local country clubs or recreational places. Another way to enjoy photos is traveling 30 minutes to the Lincoln Memorial and having sunset pictures at the monuments. “I really enjoyed taking pictures at the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. and I got amazing pictures that I will be able to cherish forever,” senior Jessica Winson said.