Spring is just around the corner, which not only entails warm weather and anticipation for summer vacation, but also Prom and Semi-Formal Dance season. Walpole High School hosts a variety of semi formal and formal events each year for its students: Freshman Boat Semi, Sophomore Semi, and Junior/Senior Prom. This year on June 7th, the Sophomore Semi-Formal Dance will not be held on a boat cruise, which in past years was deemed as unsuccessful; rather, Student Council will host the event at the lavish Renaissance Hotel at Patriots’ Place.
Tickets started selling this past week, and even though the numbers so far have not been particularly high, the dance is still two months away. Student Council is aiming for a turnout similar to last year’s Freshman Semi-Formal Boat Cruise, which was a popular event for the Class of 2015. The cost of each ticket at the moment is $50, which is five dollars less than what the price will be when the date is closer. Also, the ticket is slightly less expensive than the Freshman Boat Semi- Formal Dance and includes dinner along with a soda bar. Part of this price cut can be attributed to the fact that there is no bus transportation from the high school to the hotel because the location is nearby.
Student Council hopes that this change of venue will attract more sophomores to the event. Sophomore Student Council representative Mary Hinton said, “Walpole High School has never had an event at the Renaissance, so everyone is excited about having Semi there. Semi will definitely be great having it at the Renaissance.”
Unlike the Freshman Semi-Formal Dance or a school dance in the cafeteria or gym, the room at the Renaissance Hotel is very spacious and includes a large dance floor. In addition, there will also be a lounge available for students who do not want to dance. It is different from the freshman boat cruise in that the location is not as cramped or as inconvenient as a boat. There is no school bus trip to Boston, no cramped dance floor, and no exposure to weather.
Sophomore Student Council Representative Leah Erwin also said, “It is better because [there] will be more room and it is someplace new that no one Walpole has [been to] for semi.”
Student Council is continuously pushing to make this year’s Sophomore Semi-Formal Dance a success. The venue choice, less expensive tickets, and anticipation hopes to draw a crowd and create a new, fun tradition for all Sophomores at Walpole High School.
