For weeks—and for some, months—students excitedly anticipated May 2, the night of the 2015 Santiago Prom.  Word spread that the dance would be held at LA Live, an exclusive party venue often used by Kiis FM.  Students were nervous in terms of bus/limo costs due to the event being held in Los Angeles, but were able to push past this for such a thrilling location.

However, upon arrival, many students were vastly disappointed.  The dance was not held on a decked out rooftop or inside a trendy building, but instead took place on a blocked off section of a street.  The street itself was covered in murky water in some places and smelled strongly of sewage.  There were almost no decorations apart from some lights and a few signs around the stage.  The security was exceedingly hostile and treated arriving students with little to no respect, confiscating possessions such as deodorants, gum, hair pins, lipsticks, phone chargers, and perfumes with no promise of return.

Many complaints were made in regards to the DJ, who chose to play only childish songs from the early 2000s with the exception of a few modern Hip-Hop songs in the final moments of the dance.  Students could not make song requests, as the DJ’s booth was behind the stage and barriers.

“I could have DJed Prom better,” said Cassie Fuentes (12).

One positive aspect of the dance, on the other hand, was the dessert table.  Students expressed their enthusiasm for the seemingly endless amounts of chocolate-covered strawberries, cookies, brownies, and cupcakes.

Nonetheless, a large portion of the Juniors and Seniors of Santiago were unsatisfied with the 2015 Prom due to its lack of fulfilling expectations.

“Honestly, it was the same price to go to Prom as it was to watch the [Mayweather vs. Pacquiao] fight, so I would have rather stayed home and watched the fight in the comfort of my own house,” stated Jenifer Baho (12).