Welcomed by an extensive red carpet, columns of gold balloons, and the flash of cameras, hundreds of juniors and seniors streamed into the Oasis on Saturday, April 11, for their long-awaited Prom night. This year’s decor, organized by Student Council (StuCo), transformed the venue to convey the theme ‘Old Hollywood’, creating an atmosphere that mirrored the elegance of a classic movie premiere.

The Oasis’s classic venue was transformed to highlight the old-fashioned extravagance of the theme, adorned with gold fringe and red velvet curtains. Oversized film reels lined the walls, while students explored the three photobooths, casino setup, and the ballroom’s open space for dancing and desserts, all set to music from a live DJ.

“Since it was my first [Prom], I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Rupal Jain ‘27 said. “But it turned out to be so much fun. I loved being able to relax and hang out with friends. I think the timing was also good [because] we get to have a fun event before [we] all get super stressed about exams and tests.”

To prepare for the event, StuCo’s Junior Class Officer Team had started planning in October. From booking vendors to reserving the Oasis, the team worked to not only preserve but improve the Prom experience from the year prior.

“It was very important for us to work on rethinking things that may not have been as successful last year,” StuCo Junior Class President Nancy Lu said. “[For example], we had some issues with the DJ last year so we researched a lot to make sure we could create a better Prom for our juniors and seniors.”

Another aspect of the event the officer team hoped to enhance was the decorations, searching for inspiration in red carpet events and older movies to match the glamorous theme. Despite extensive planning, limitations such as budget and timing made this process difficult.

“It was definitely a bit stressful because of some last minute issues with decorations not coming in on time,” Lu said. “Day of Prom especially, we had some complications [with our balloon arch decorations] but this also taught us to improvise around hard situations. I was really proud that [the decorations] still turned out well and everyone seemed to be having a good time.”

A yearly highlight of Prom is the crowning of Prom king and queen, and this year was no exception. Students had two weeks before the event to nominate their friends for the coveted title. After tallying up the votes, seniors Ryan Gu and Grace Xiang were crowned Westwood’s 2026 Prom king and queen.

“I didn’t expect to win, because I felt like all the nominees were so deserving of Prom royalty,” Grace Xiang ‘26 said. “I was so happy to see all my friends supporting me in the crowd and up on the stage. It’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.”

Freshmen and sophomore StuCo volunteers stayed throughout the night to count ballots for Prom royalty. Before the closing of the event, all nominees were brought up on stage to be congratulated. Gu was especially overjoyed to hear he had won, making him a three-time winner of Homecoming King, Mr. Warrior, and Prom king.

“It was really cool to hear the announcement and see all my friends’ faces light up in the audience,” Gu said. “When I was an underclassmen, I used to look up to my upperclassmen who ran for [Homecoming or Prom royalty] and so I felt like my high school [journey] kind of came full circle.”

As the final major moment of the night came to an end, the upperclassmen took another step towards the end of their time in high school. As a significant milestone, the event prompted students to reflect on its deep sentimental value.

“Prom is important because it’s not just a social gathering,” Jain said. “It’s something you see in movies and books, and that you [form] expectations for throughout your childhood. Getting to experience and live through that is really magical.”