With sparkling dresses, curled hair, suits and ties, prom came early to EHS—but not just any prom.

StuCo threw the annual New Friends Prom for students in the FLS program on Friday, March 17. The commons was adorned in “Candy Land” backsplashes, dice table cloths and a “Scrabble” sign reading “New Friends Prom,” all to fit the game night theme.

“Student Council had a huge brainstorm session at one of our meetings, and the board game idea was thrown in,” sophomore StuCo member Liz Mislan said. “It was originally an idea for homecoming, but we decided it would work with New Friends Prom better.”

Because the commons requires fewer decorations, and StuCo tries to stick to a fun theme every year, members thought it would perfectly fit the event. Guests from Alton, Collinsville, Granite City, Highland, Triad and EHS responded to the theme, visiting “Candy Land” for the treat bar, filling up on nachos, dancing under the “Scrabble” arch and taking home a game-themed goody bag at the end of the night.

“It was awesome,” senior Key Club member Colton Klenke said. “It was cool to have everyone together and just be loving and kind with one another. The atmosphere was energetic and everyone had fun on an equal level. It was good to see everyone be themselves.”

Junior Ian McLean kicked off New Friends Prom with student introductions; each guest walked under the arch and down an aisle while StuCo and Key Club members cheered for them. The night ended, as many Key Club events traditionally do, with everyone dancing in a circle to Green Day’s “Good Riddance.”

“(The end) was a combination of happiness and sadness,” junior Key Club member Tanner Hartman said. “Everybody was having a good time, and we were doing something incredible, but it was sad because the majority of Key Club is made of seniors, making this their last year. We all just took in the emotions of everyone who was there.”

Although this year was successful, Mislan doesn’t plan on settling for what’s already been accomplished. Instead, she hopes to make some changes for upcoming dances.

“In future years I think we (want) to get more schools involved,” she said. “I’m sure we can really push this into something on a much larger scale.”

While some aspects of the dance may change, the overall goal and atmosphere of New Friends Prom will carry throughout the years.

“I didn’t feel like I was serving for Key Club,” Hartman said. “It just felt like I was having a great time with my friends. It’s important to give everyone in the community great experiences, especially those who cannot always do so on their own.”