Alachua County students prepare for prom with no COVID-19 rules in place

Alexis Carter was at Oaks Mall at the popular Windsor store shopping for prom. She had already tried on about five or six dresses, neither one being the dress she wanted to say yes to.

One more dress, she thought to herself.

She slipped into a mermaid-style, teal dress with dark green sequins. Carter looked at herself in the changing room mirror and smiled.

She felt pretty, elegant — and the style of the dress fit her perfectly.

Carter said "yes" to the dress.

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For most seniors, prom is a high school staple at the end of a teenager's high school career. After two long years where COVID-19 wreaked havoc around the globe, students are looking forward to going back to a prom where masks aren't required and social distancing can be a policy of the past.

Carter, an Eastside High School student who attended prom her junior year, said she's equally excited and nervous about the 2022 dance.

"With prom comes graduation," she said. "High school is ending."

Alachua County Public Schools kicked off their prom season with Newberry and Loften high schools hosting their proms last month.

For students at Eastside High School, prom comes until May 14. The anticipation for the day grows as the dates come near. The theme for their high school prom is called "The Secret Garden."

The dance was planned by Eastside High School junior Leslie Armstrong and senior Patricia Mann.

"They're really excited," said Armstrong of the students. "Last year was so special to me, I tried to make an event that they would not forget ... I'm so excited for them to see what jaw-dropper me and Ms. Mann are going to bring to this event."

"I'm looking forward to seeing their face, I'm looking forward to seeing these kids with instead of their face in a book them out on the dance floor and living their best life for that one night," she added.

At Santa Fe High School students equally sounded as thrilled about their prom titled Dancing in the Moonlight, which was held at the outdoor venue Valley View, located at 26001 N.W. 122nd St. in Alachua on May 6.

"Last year was much more challenging trying to meet the masking requirements and we were lucky in the fact that our venue Valley View has not only an indoor area, but they also have an outdoor area," said Timothy Wright, principal of Santa Fe High School.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Alachua County students prepare for prom with no COVID-19 rules