Fifteen thousand dollars: the price of a night filled with unforgettable memories, gorgeous gowns, and dancing until the sun comes up.  $15,000 is the price of Prom.  This year, the administration declared that each class hold one fundraiser per year in order to make a dent in the cost.  This requirement presents a positive goal, but in order to keep classes’ funds balanced and on track to the $15,000, a required dollar amount should be established for classes to raise by the end of each year.

In years past, the Patriot Parent Association (PPA) paid every cent for Prom and after-Prom, but beginning with the class of 2012, the PPA didn’t cover the cost in its entirety.  Instead, the administration implemented a plan this year declaring that each class must hold at least one fundraiser per year in order to save money for the “outrageous” cost of Prom, according to Director of Annual Giving and Constituent Relations Laura Lang. 

The junior class raised $400 at their fundraiser held at Looney’s Pub on Oct. 3, according to Lang.  The freshman class, however, raked in $3,000 at the Freshman Class Dinner on Oct. 16, according to freshman class moderator Sandi Seiler.  Following the new fundraising plan, the junior and freshman classes are finished fundraising for the year, but the freshman class has raised $2,400 more than the juniors.

In order to ensure that classes maintain the same fundraising course, grades should have to raise $3,750 by the end of each school year.  This will provide students with the greatest advantage. 

Dividing the large sum up into small goals, rather than squeezing it all into one year, will give students a greater motivation to fundraise, and therefore save students money on Prom.

Just as homeowners pay off their mortgage with a set dollar amount monthly rather than a lump sum due on one day in order to manage their money and avoid stress, classes should break Prom’s sum up with yearly monetary goals for the same reasons.

Although starting fundraising early will create more class unity, as sophomore class moderator Jean Willian believes, holding multiple fundraisers each year to reach designated goals will unite classes even further.  Students will have to plan multiple events, and find methods to advertise these events, connecting them as a class.

As for seniors, who’ve not had the advantage of an implemented fundraising agenda for more than one year, events such as the Annual Campaign Phonathon, held Nov. 13-15, and dining out nights are in the works.  Due to this disadvantage, however, the administration should give seniors priority over the other classes when scheduling fundraisers.  Seniors should not only get priority as an upperclassmen privilege, but also because they have to raise the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time.

Although the new fundraising plan is a step in the right direction, setting monetary goals yearly would keep classes on the same track to lowering the cost of Prom.  Keeping both plans in mind, let it be known that saving is better than scrounging. 

 Kailey Tracy is the Copy Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com