With the months of March and April drawing near that can only mean one thing. Prom. Invitations to this cherished yearly event were recently mailed to all junior and senior students.

The invitation depicts the Aurora Borealis: waves of red, blue, yellow, green, and purple waving lights that can be seen in northern countries. This spectacular natural wonder is what inspired this year’s prom theme: Northern Lights.

“We initially had decided on a sort of weather theme. My parents came up with the theme. I suggested it to the board, and we talked about that theme, as well as other weather-related themes. In the end, we voted for Northern Lights.” Junior Class Board President Sierra Lancaster said.

The Junior Class Board (JCB), is in charge of planning prom each year and with that comes a lot of responsibility and hard work. Many committees are set up to pull off the event.

“There’s been a lot to do. It all piles up really quickly, but I feel like we’ve done a good job managing it so far. It’s fun to see all of the groups work together to make prom a reality,” JCB Vice President Adam Lesher said.

With the far-fetched theme, it is up to them to brainstorm the best ways to make the idea clear and decorate at the event.

“It’s a lot of fun to plan as a student. I get to put creativity into it and bring the theme to life,” Head of Decorations Maggie Hogan said.

The Junior Class Board worked with the lights store, Brite Ideas, to gather specific, more spectacular lighting. It is something that the Junior Class Board wanted to focus on to pull off the theme.

“The JCB worked with Travis Freeman of Brite Ideas. Freeman, who owns the store, is responsible for several well-known lighting structures and designs, including the Salvation Army Christmas tree. The board also worked with Blaine Muhle of Memrical Design,” Lancaster said.

The main focus of this year’s prom, however, is not just the theme. For this 2017 event, the JCB strives to make the dance more inclusive. Thus, this year there will be both a lip-sync battle and a dance-off, both taking place during the dance.

Along with these brand new activities, there will be a photo booth that includes various props to wear and take pictures with.

Up until this year, prom has been held downtown at the Centurylink Center, but this year the Junior-Senior Prom has moved to a new location. Prom will be held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Baxter Arena.

“Taking on a new venue definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. We are getting the venue itself for less money than the Centurylink Center. There were a few complications with where the dance will be located, but we’re still going to ensure everyone has a fantastic time,” Lesher said.

The dance itself will be held on the Holland Ice Rink. This raised concern with members of the Junior Class Board as well as students as to how a dance could be held on an ice rink. Luckily, a solution was found. A dance floor will be covering the ice rink so that students can dance the night away without worry of frostbite.

This year’s prom has undergone some changes in location, inclusion of activities, and the removal of prom royalty, but the efforts made by the Junior Class Board with the Baxter Arena will truly make this a night to remember.