As a parent of a Fayette County high school student I have to bring up the subject of prom. I am quite certain I am not the only one who feels that prom is a tremendous expense and the high class production really isn’t worth the expense.
Prom tickets were $95, which included a gift card to ride the Ferris wheel in Centennial Park. This was a nice gesture; however, it now requires our kids to drive downtown at another date to utilize. This ticket price did not even include a meal. All that was included was soda and small bite-sized deserts.
For a girl, shopping for dresses takes place months before the big day and prices range from moderate to unfathomable. I researched the possibility of renting but unfortunately there aren’t many choices out there for girls to rent except online. After spending close to $400 on a dress, we finally found one.
In addition to the cost of the dress, now we have to look for shoes, jewelry and a purse. Not to mention spray tans, hair, nails and make-up. Now our cost is well over $500. The guys can rent a tux for about $200. This includes everything they need. Oh, I forgot flowers too, another added expense.
Transportation: The kids arrange to rent party busses to transport them to and from prom, which is of course held downtown. Depending on how many people are on the bus, this cost ranges between $75-$100 per person. In addition, the kids decide to attend dinner together prior to prom, which costs another $40-$60 per person.
Once arriving to prom, which is from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m,, either late due to traffic or in some cases, were picked up too early even before the venue was even over, the kids stand around looking at their phones, maybe having a dance or two before it’s time to leave. What is the point of all this expense to go downtown to attend a function for a little over an hour and a half?
Why is prom made out to be such a high class, high dollar expense? Why do we as parents just go along with this kind of extravagant production for our kids?
What’s wrong with proms being held locally in a hotel ballroom? Where you could actually have a sit-down meal, conversation and even dance to some great music by a DJ? If the venue was local, the kids could drive themselves. Including a meal would give them a chance to socialize, utilizing their social skills and manners, which most have learned from Cotillion or from their homes.
Why does prom have to be downtown and made out to be like these kids are Hollywood’s finest?
I am sure I’m not the only person in Fayette County who feels prom needs to be revisited, toned down and kept local. Parents need to speak up and make changes to the future of proms in Fayette County. I also feel that the kids of Fayette County need to understand that all this extravagant expense is not necessary to have a special prom day. We have fantastic local facilities which can hold these functions and I’m sure at more reasonable rates.
Anonymous parent
