The doors to the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura, Calif., opened to Foothill Technology (Foothill Tech) students on the evening of April 25 for a night of dancing, games and food under the starry sky at the “Sunset to the Stars” prom. Organized by the Associated Student Body (ASB), the event was open to junior and senior students as well as their guests.
In the days preceding the event, ASB hosted “Spirit Week”, with themes including Teachers Dress as Students, Anything but a Backpack and Meme Day. However, months before these themes were announced, planning was already underway, from the venue and decorations to the lighting on the dance floor.
Taking charge of prom planning were JJ Mendes ‘27, junior class president, and Parks Riley ‘27, junior class vice president.
“[W]e came up with a theme because of this venue, because of how it’s around with the elements and transitioning day through night,” Mendes said.
“[A]s we got closer, we worked more on ordering and execution, because we had an idea of what we wanted to do, we just had to put it into fruition,” Parks said.
The venue was organized into three main rooms, as well as the outdoor balcony space. Students first entered into the coat check area, then could move to the dance floor and photo setup, or as the venue extended, opt to play pool, foosball, cards or Mario Kart in the game room. Once outside, the sky took center stage, embodying the theme as it faded from a soft, lightly cloudy dusk to a star-studded dome. Refreshments were available around the venue, with cookie platters, a soda bar and orange creamsicle floats served by ASB, drawing in students throughout the evening.
Although the doors opened at 7 p.m., the dance floor did not begin to fill up until more than 30 minutes into the event, as students lingered on the balcony to take photos, revel in the view of the ocean and show off their carefully curated outfits. Later, however, a crowd had formed in front of the DJ and photo booth, dancing along to hits such as “FE!N” by Travis Scott and featuring Playboi Carti.
“[I]t looks really lively and also some good music choices … honestly, I really like how they did the whole theme of the sunset to the stars, fitting the whole prom thing. I think it is pretty well done and well planned, and props to ASB,” Cameron Wolpe ‘27 said.
Some students shared opinions on the venue, which hosts weddings, theater performances and other gatherings for organizations around the city.
“I don’t love the location … I used to perform at this location, and it’s just kind of, like, weird déjà vu, but I feel like there’s better venues out there. Like, we were talking [about] how the Majestic Theater is such a beautiful venue and we would have loved for prom to be there this year,” Hannah Cagle ‘28 said.
Although some offered criticisms, other students reflected on the highlights of the event, from the organization to the music choices.
“I like having the multiple rooms, so people can space out, because the main area is kind of small … [and] the theme is good, because you can do so much with it. You can wear black, you can wear sunset colors … I think the theme was perfect for this year,” Genese Bowers ‘26 said.
With the clock approaching 10 p.m., the dance floor closed with a final song of “Die Young” by Kesha. Dragons began to trickle back to their cars, making plans for late dinners and upcoming study groups for fast-approaching exams, marking the end of what was for the class of 2026 the final dance of their high school careers. As students and ASB officers celebrate another prom done and turn their gaze to the fast-approaching end of the school year, plans begin for the final senior events and graduation.
