While there are many concerns as to having an 8th grade prom during a pandemic, we 8th graders believe there are several different ways to make this event fun and safe for everyone.

I spoke to several students of the 8th grade class. I asked them if they can tell me how we can do prom safely and what it means to them. Their responses will hopefully convince you to let us have an 8th grade prom.

Starting off, 8th grader Elizabeth Ortiz said, “A way we can do it safely is if we wear masks, or after we touch things we can use hand sanitizer, and before we enter the dance we can get our temperature checked.”

8th grader Hadley Snyder said, “I think we should have a prom because it’s a fun event that happens once. If we have prom we should just wear masks so we could keep everyone safe.”

8th grader Maya Johnson said, “I think we can do prom safely with masks and socially distanced dancing in a big space that way we can be socially distant. The dance doesn’t really mean a lot to me but I feel like it’s one of those moments that could potentially be really special. I’ve been looking forward to the eighth grade prom “farewell dance” for a while now and I’m really hoping we can have it because it would mean a lot to my friends and me.”

As an 8th grader I believe we should have a prom and do it as safely as possible but still have fun. If students touch objects or sit at tables there should be Clorox wipes or something for us to wipe down as we are done. We should also wear a mask. With those things we should be able to dance and have fun around our friends. With this dance, our plan is for us to have fun, make memories and for some kids to step out of their comfort zone which can be hard to do but it can help kids express themselves freely, as others may have a hard time doing that on a daily basis. It can be a once in a lifetime experience for some of us as we might grow apart in high school or even change schools.

Hopefully these responses and ideas can convince you to let us have a prom!