Last year, junior banquet was hosted at Lakewood Country Club on Apr. 21. Junior banquet, while a school dance, differs from homecoming because typically girls ask boys to go to junior banquet rather than the opposite for homecoming. Junior banquet serves dinner and dessert and photo booths, dancing and other activities depending on the theme of the dance.

For the class of 2026, plans for a junior banquet in the spring are not confirmed. This year, questions of whether or not to have the banquet have arisen, especially because of the new winter ball. Students have strong opinions. “I think it’s too much to have three school dances in one year, so I understand when people say they don’t want to have a junior banquet this year,” junior Bryson Filbert said.

Those who want the dance to happen said they think that the tradition should be kept despite the three dances. “A bunch of other schools have junior prom and in a way junior banquet kind of is like our junior prom and I think we should have it this year especially since the grades before us did,” junior Addison Purvis said.

For school dances, students may rent out buses for the night to take them place to place to take pictures. Last year, junior banquet prices were $30 per student. “Having to pay for tickets to Gloco, Winterball, and if we have a junior banquet is a lot. Not even mentioning the amount the buses cost,” Filbert said.

Last year, the theme for the junior banquet was masquerade ball. Attendee and senior Josie Spicer encourages the class of 2026 to try to have the banquet. “Me and my friends decided last minute on going to junior banquet, but it was a lot of fun and the food was really good so I think that the juniors should have it even with the new winter ball,” Spicer said.

An idea that junior Danielle Rubin thinks could address having too many school dances in one year is having a different activity at the end of the year for juniors. “I think that instead of spending money on having junior banquet at Lakewood with dinner when a lot of people don’t even want to go, is having a different, cost-friendly event at the end of the year to bring our class together before senior year,” Rubin said.

Junior class president Mia Coven said that more information will be coming soon. “Junior class officers and Keith Schwartz make the decisions regarding junior banquet. I can’t release much information on what we are planning but details about the junior banquet will be released sometime after winter break,” Coven said.

If junior banquet happens, students are contemplating picking between going to the winter ball or junior banquet. “A lot of my friends don’t want to go to winter ball and would rather just go to the junior banquet if it happens then go to both dances,” Purvis said.