On April 26, 2025, hundreds of upperclassmen donned their best attires, met with friends and excitedly made their way into the downtown Majestic Ventura Theatre. Once there, Dragons were brought into an extravagant music hall that was transformed into the “Enchanted Forest” that was Foothill Technology High School’s (Foothill Tech) Prom. From 7 to 10:30 p.m., Dragons enjoyed the amenities provided by the Associated Student Body (ASB) and danced the night away.
The dance was themed around an “Enchanted Forest” look which ASB achieved through dense floral arrangements, balloons and light displays. Beyond this, ASB provided two photo stations, with one having a spinning camera feature, along with a pool table, diverse snacks and drinks, a quiet upstairs area with Mario Kart and a generally efficient entrance and coat check procedure.
Naomi Schwartz ‘26, junior class president and the ASB member in charge of planning the dance, reflected on her preparations stating, “It’s definitely nerve racking putting together a dance [like this]. … It’s kind of bringing the end of the year to a close [and] I know for seniors it’s a big event.”
For many, the hard work put in by ASB paid off in full as they saw the grandeur of the venue. After entering, students passed the wide and winding stairway that led to coat check and then made their way into the breathtaking main hall. Upon entry, Josiah Rodriguez ‘27 stated, “The location, the design, everything is really pretty. It sets the mood really well and I think it really does feel magical.” Similarly, Julia Alkov ‘25 would state, “I was really surprised by how nice it was … I think ASB did a really good job of planning everything [and] it was quick getting in.”
Throughout the first hour of the dance, students met with friends, settled in and slowly made their way onto the dance floor. Though, according to Alex Ramirez ‘26, the energy early on, “could use some work [as] no one is dancing,” though the liveliness began to pick up as the night went on. DJ Code 1 would go on to say, “It was a rough beginning, people had to kind of find the groove. I had to find that groove. … I did not realize that those at Foothill Tech, they just want to jump.”
Only after students fully arrived did the energy truly build. By 8:10 p.m., the dance floor was packed to the point where Aydan Macias ‘25 would call the “mosh pit … absolutely crazy. People [were] bumping into each other left and right. Several people [nearly] got trampled … but I’m pretty sure everyones having a good time.”
The energy remained high for most of the night and, as DJ Code 1 said, “We had a lot of people, for the majority, stay on the dance floor, which is your first mark of success.” At key moments, DJ Code 1 introduced slow songs like Billy Joel’s “Vienna” and Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You”, though, generally, the songs remained as what Rodriguez described as having a “good beat so you can have a good time.”
While Dragons enjoyed their time in the limelight, for many, the importance of Prom reached beyond the music, clothes and fun. Reflecting this, Lauren Fossati ‘25, a senior class officer for ASB, despite feeling Prom is a great opportunity to, “hang out with my friends [and] go get dressed up,” stated it is also an event where “everyone kind of gets closer, especially [among] seniors. … [we’re] putting out more effort into hanging out with all our friends.”
Because Prom is the last dance of the year and, for the class of 2025, their last dance at Foothill Tech, many hold it as a key part of their high school experience. Ramirez stated, “It’s more important because it’s Prom. There’s a mystique around it no matter what school you go to. …This is the best Prom [and] … the people who ran it deserve everything. … I saw partly what went into it and I think it’s a really lovely night.”
Naturally, even the last dance of the year had to come to a close. While lowerclassmen and juniors who attended the dance get to come back in the coming years, seniors left the venue and had to say goodbye to high school dances entirely. Looking toward the future, Jackson Venti ‘25 said, “I am very scared to graduate but every step, every day, I’m just going to make the most of it and tonight I [made] the most of it.”
With the end of the night, ASB, and the student body, celebrated a successful year of dances and look toward what the last weeks of the year will hold.
