Prom night at Billings Central was full of fun, laughter, and memories that students will be talking about for a long time. This year’s dance was held at Community Leadership and Development International (CLDI), a new venue that gave the evening a fresh feel. Even better, all the money from ticket sales went to support CLDI’s mission, making the night much more meaningful. The theme, chosen through polls of the student body, was La La Land, with beautiful decorations and exciting picture backdrops that made the movie come to life.
While the venue looked great, the biggest surprise of the evening might have been the cracked floor beam, noticeable in the basement — a topic that quickly became the buzz of the night. However, it didn’t stop anyone from enjoying themselves, rather adding some excitement to the evening. Shortly after the dance started, Mr. Martinez turned off most of the overhead lights, and the dance floor filled up. The change in lighting shifted the mood and made the space feel more like a real party, and many more people started dancing.
“It was a very nice venue,” said senior Kiya Ford. “The location wasn’t the best, but it was a fun change, and the photo area downstairs was such a cute touch,” Ford added. While the dancing was a highlight, some students said their favorite memories happened before and after the actual event. “Getting ready with our group was honestly one of the best parts,” said Maddie Tracy. “Even waiting on the party bus for like 45 minutes ended up being fun,” Tracy added. Some students mentioned that they missed the cozy feel of last year’s venue, The Depot, and felt like this year’s room was a little too big. Still, the night was full of laughs, great music and lasting memories.
This year’s Billings Central Prom Royalty were seniors Zelaya Paulmer and Solomon Stortz, who were crowned king and queen to big cheers from the crowd, despite that Stortz was unable to be at the dance. As such, rather than a traditional king and queen dance, all the queen candidates danced with Zelaya to Dancing Queen by ABBA.
“It was really special to have one last dance together as a class,” said Ford. “Just being with everyone and enjoying the moment made it really memorable.” From getting ready with friends to dancing under the dim lights, prom was a night full of joy, celebration and a few unexpected surprises—the perfect way to wrap up the school year.
