The Alumni Gym Decorated for the Dance. Photo by Marley '26
Last Friday, on December 5, Wooster hosted the Winter Formal. This was a dance that was held for the upper school students, and all of the funds from the tickets are going towards prom in April. The student activities prefects chose a very fun theme for the dance, which was disco. Many people leaned into the theme with their outfits because there were a lot of rhinestones and sequins to emulate a disco ball. There were lots of fun foods like cakepops, cheese, and Auntie Anne’s for people to enjoy throughout the night. There was also a soda station, which was enjoyed by many, including seltzer, many flavored syrups, and creamer.
Kendall ’26, who is a Student Activities Prefect, was one of the planners of this dance. Because a homecoming dance is not an annual Wooster tradition, Kendall wanted to celebrate the winter with a dance that wasn’t just prom, which is later in the year. So many people enjoyed this dance, and it was definitely worth all of the effort. There was a lot that went into this dance behind the scenes as well.
“It definitely wasn't easy. It took a lot of time because I had to make sure it could get approved, I had to find decorations, a DJ, and I had to get teachers to chaperone,” said Kendall. Once the email went out to the whole school, though, it became an easier process since it was more about decorating and waiting to see how many people bought tickets. The winter formal was held in the Alumni Gym, and making sure that it would be able to hold everyone comfortably was a challenge faced when planning this dance.
Throughout the night, there was plenty of space for everyone to dance or take a break. The reception center was also open with many fun foods
and beverages. Everyone who attended enjoyed themselves, and overall, the event was a huge success. Kendall hopes that the Student Activities Prefects next year take on the challenge and host the Winter Formal again. As for advice to next year's senior prefects, Kendall advised them not to give up when planning for the event. It might be difficult and take a lot of time and planning, but in the end, it will all be worth it, and people will be very appreciative of you for putting together something that the whole community can enjoy.
Overall, the Winter Formal was a huge success and gave the upper schoolers an opportunity to come together and have fun. There was a lot of positive feedback from people who attended, and it created a lot of excitement for the next dance, prom!
