It truly was a ‘Knight to Remember’

The Mac prom returned to the Blanton Museum in 2018

Photo+by+Celeste+Montes+de+Oca.

Photo by Celeste Montes de Oca.

Audrey Sayer

[masterslider id=”53″]

Photos by Celeste Montes de Oca, Savannah Silva and Mr. Oakley Barber 

Creating a true “Knight to Remember” requires many days of hard work.

The work is shared by students, parents and teachers, particularly the teachers who served as the senior class sponsors, Sarah Hathaway and Julie Rigby.

It was Hathaway’s first time to stage the McCallum prom.

“[The hardest part] for me was not knowing where to start or what to do,” Hathaway said. “I had not done it before so I was a bit lost at first. Thankfully Ms. Rigby had. I definitely got the hang of the decorations though.”

The event was the culmination of months of planning by senior student council leaders and sponsors.

We chose the Blanton because it is a cool place downtown and within our budget.

— Sam Stone

The process started when senior student council leaders first brainstormed to determine what decorations, music and food they wanted to offer, and, of course, what the theme would be.

“My friend Roxy Smith and I started planning our senior prom around sophomore year,” senior student council member Sophie Cheesar said. “We had the idea of ‘A Knight under the Stars.’”

The serious planning, Cheesar said, didn’t start for student council until around January.

The fund-raising effort includes the annual Mr. McCallum pageant as well as selling T-shirts, proms tickets as well as the proceeds of other various student council events throughout the year.

The theme and location was ultimately chosen by the senior student council members.

“We chose the Blanton because it is a cool place downtown and within our budget” senior student council member Sam Stone said.

After the long preparation, hard work and the anticipation, the “Knight to Remember” finally arrived on Saturday night

“The night somewhat went as expected,” senior Georgia Whitworth said. “With those kind of things, the idea you had in your mind is never what actually happens and the highlight was being with my closest friends and enjoying our last school dance.”

“I thought it went great,” Hathaway told The Shield on Thursday, five days removed from the event. “We had many helpers, and it made the set up and take down pretty easy. I loved the theme and thought that we represented it well. Also, there was no drama, and everyone looked amazing.”

What will Hathaway most remember about her prom “knight”?

There was no drama, and everyone looked amazing.

— Sarah Hathaway

“The highlight was two fold: seeing everyone dressed up (I took so many pics!) and watching so many students actually use the dance floor,” Hathaway said.

“I will most remember all the work Ms. Rigby and I did to plan and the lovely dance I had with Alexi Hernandez at the very end of prom. No one would dance with me! And he did,” Hathaway wrote in an email to The Shield. She closed the note, “#blessed.”

What words of wisdom would Hathaway offer to future prom planners and organizers?

“My advice would be to not worry if you do not have much money because you will make tons with ticket sales,” she said. “Also, remember you will always have help.”

Student council sponsor Stephanie Watson, a math teacher and the head girls soccer coach, has been involved with the McCallum prom for years and is already looking towards planning prom for next year.

This year, she and her student council members supported the effort of the senior class sponsors and officers. Next year as a senior class and student council sponsor, she will play a central role in staging the prom.

“Planning and to-do lists are my thing, so prom is stressful but also fun to get together.” Watson said. “I’m excited about the crew of student council members that I will have next year helping me plan. I know that they’re going to have all of the ideas, and I’ll just have to execute them as the sponsor. We don’t always get that lucky.”

Student council is already selling senior shirts to begin fundraising for next year’s prom, which will undoubtedly be another “knight to remember.”