For many decades, prom has been a staple in American high school culture. The dance is frequently portrayed as a special event that is only available to upperclassmen, who wait for their day at prom to arrive: but at Edina High School, only seniors can attend. Many schools across the country allow juniors to attend as well, which should be the same for Edina. Juniors deserve to attend prom.
Schools in Minnesota such as Wayzata, Eden Prairie, Richfield, and many others allow for juniors to make an appearance at prom. Instead of making the experience more special for seniors, Edina’s choice only deprives juniors of an opportunity for fun. “Every other school allows juniors to go to prom, and prom is one of the biggest dances in America. It’s not fair that we only get to experience that one time, unless you’re asked exclusively,” junior Lucy Gleason said.
Both juniors and seniors would benefit because it adds excitement to their high school experience. There are many experiences that seniors get exclusive involvement in, like Senior Skip Day, graduation parties, the graduation ceremony, Senior Sunrise, and more. Prom is no doubt a special day for seniors, but take into consideration that seniors already have enough exclusive activities. In addition, future Edina students will have the opportunity to attend prom twice, which would make junior year more enjoyable.
By creating memories together, the senior and junior class will have a unique bond. “Even though it’s a special occasion for senior year, it wouldn’t take away from their experience by letting juniors go to prom. It adds on to the experience of juniors,” junior Chloe Smith said.
Besides creating unity, adding to experiences, and increasing inclusion, greater attendance could be a major positive for EHS, creating more revenue for Edina Public Schools, better venues, and overall enhanced quality. It is necessary that we maximize revenue because that is how EHS will amplify the experience for everyone.
Refusing to open prom to the junior class only serves to sour sentiment for a false sense of exclusivity. “I don’t think it’s a fair argument that we don’t get to go just because of our class size. It’s ‘exclusive’ in a bad way. There’s no good reason for us to not be able to go,” Gleason said.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 8, 2025
