To highlight the beginning of spring break, juniors and seniors spent a sophisticated evening at their prom at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. The atmosphere read a “Tale as Old as Time” theme, as the room was scattered with countless rose petals and the ballroom lights were dim contrasting the deep red and gold colors decorating the room.

“Prom was everything it was talked up to be. A night where everyone gets to come together, looking stylish as ever, and making memories,” Mahealani Hetrick (11) said. “Everyone seriously looked so good it was crazy! I loved the experience and the people I enjoyed it with.”

The magical arrangement emerged from the brilliant minds of seniors Ashley Butay, Zowey Cachola, and Brandon Bagoyo during their junior year. In the early stages of planning senior events the movie “Beauty and The Beast” recently came out, striking them with inspiration for a prom display that came to flourish this year.

“I really liked how everything was set up, really spacious. Decorations was just perfect, and nothing felt rushed,” Chriztyne Calpito (11) said.

SETTING UP

After establishing the theme, there was much left to do to make prom the perfect the occasion. In order to get more student input, senior leadership created a website so that people could get more prom information, and even submit songs they wanted to dance to.

“Having our own prom website provided us with another outlet to communicate with students,” Bagoyo said. “It was a big hit. We got over 200 song submissions for our DJ, a big handful of girls’ dresses that went into our prom lookbook, and we advertised for businesses that attendees can get their dresses, tuxes or makeup and hair done.”

Many students used the website, although some doubted its success.

“Even though I thought it was a bad idea at first,  liked the fact that you guys had a website where you allowed people to submit their dresses,” Elle Rae Tumpalan (11) said. “It makes it kinda easier for people who went to like David’s Bridal or Macy’s where they don’t check if someone else got the same dress as you. It’s kind of a safety net.”

PROM KING AND QUEEN

Out of the five couples running for prom king and queen, the silver crowns were placed on winners Bailey Darnell and Jude Pauulu.

It was Darnell’s idea to enter, and she asked her lifelong friend Pauulu to join her.

“I ran with him because we’ve been good friends for a long time,” she said. “I knew that he would be down to do it. We’re good friends so if either of us needs help, we’re there for each other.”

She added, “We were actually surprised that we won because there were so many other good contenders but overall we’re grateful that we won.”

Pauulu is thrilled with their victory, but he credits Darnell for everything. “It felt pretty cool that we won. Honestly she deserves it, she basically did everything,” he said. “The posters she made were probably the best I’ve ever seen. She’s the reason we won. I wouldn’t run with anyone else.”

STUDENT INPUT

FIRST PROM!

Juniors Isaac Proffit and Dianelys De Alba took this picture before prom began. De Alba said that she had a blast at her first prom and was impressed with senior leadership’s prom set-up, and is looking forward to next years dance. “Busting a move on the dance floor with this beautiful girl definitely made prom a night to remember,” Proffit said.

GIRLS NIGHT!

Seniors Kyara Velez, Jayanne Serrano, and Emilynn Richards went to prom together as best friends. They all said they had a great time at prom. Their favorite part was “throwing it back on my friends.”

LAST PROM!

Brandon Bagoyo and Cassidy Noyes enjoyed their final prom. Bagoyo, as leadership president, was proud of the way prom turned out. “We wanted everyone to get a sense of love that night,” he said. “It was such a beautiful and happy occasion. Nearing the end of our senior year and the realization in the juniors that are soon to be seniors, all we really have is love and plenty of it. Love for our friends, love for our boyfriends/girlfriends, love for our school.”

PROMPOSALS

MEMORIES!

Micah Sala was trying to be creative when asking his girlfriend, Kala’i Stevens, to prom. With the help of his friends on the volleyball team, he found the perfect way.

“I wanted to be different and not copy the mainstream ideas of promposals,” he said. “I knew it had to be something to remember so what better way to do that than actual memories? I picked out our selfies from my favorite days with her and printed them out. Then I got her roses and after my game was finished I played her favorite song ‘Best Part’ and waited for her entrance, got down on one knee as any gentleman should, and asked her to accompany me to our last prom.”

ROSES FOR ROSE

Matai Suitonu picked a similar angle when asking his girlfriend Rose Penamora. He gathered friends to give her roses and lead her down to the track where he asked her in bold red letters.

“It was hard. I had a lot of ideas but one thing she always loved and was good at was track and I wanted to make it track related to bring what she loves together,” he said.

Penamora was confused at first, but was thrilled with the cute way he caught her off guard with the roses and sign.