Publication Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2004
SCHOOLS
Prom for sale?
Prom for sale?
(March 31, 2004) Paly seeking business sponsors to keep costs down
by Rachel Metz
Although juniors and seniors at Palo Alto High School won't see a Pepsi Cola prom any time soon, the campus' student government is seeking business sponsors to defray the high cost of spring formals.
With prom costs on the rise this year, students decided to go after sponsorships ranging from $100 to $1000.
"We wanted to make it more affordable for everybody because people were getting really angry with the prices, I guess," Paly student body President Amy Rogg said.
Over the past few years prom ticket prices have been rising steadily at Paly, the school's student activities director, Joann Vaars, said. She thinks proms cost about $110 a couple years ago and was closer to $120 or $125 last year. This year, it's $135 a couple -- $125 if both people use their student body cards. Individual tickets cost $75 (or $70 with a student body card). Vaars doesn't think the increase in cost is due to any single factor.
Last year the prom was held at Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos. This year, it will be held at the Decathlon Club in Santa Clara, a venue the school has used in the past. The cost of the event will be higher, in part because the school must use the club's catering service instead of an outside caterer, Rogg said.
"The prices are ridiculous for food," she said.
The Decathlon Club did not return a call for comment. According to the club's Web site, which lists general details and prices for events, a sit-down dinner (excluding drinks or dessert) starts at $25 per person.
The school already subsidizes the prom, said Andy Palmer, the school's student body vice president and school board representative. Without that funding tickets could have started closer to $150 per couple this spring, he said.
Though the school hasn't looked to outside sources for prom funding in the past, parents heading its annual graduation night event have, Vaars said. One parent said donations they seek from businesses for grad night are more in-kind gifts -- like prizes and gift certificates to give out to students at the party.
Money raised from businesses for prom will help defray ticket costs for all students and contribute to funding for students who want to go to the dance but can't afford tickets.
By late last week no businesses had signed up, but Rogg thinks some parents' companies will help out. She hopes students raise "at least a couple thousand."
Rogg isn't worried students will see business' sponsorship as the prom "going corporate."
"People are fine with it. They're like, 'Oh good, that means lowering the price of the ticket' I think the whole concern is just like the price," she said.
Palmer agreed.
"Originally when I came up with the idea I feared it would be a problem with some of the students but to my surprise I haven't heard any complaints," he said, noting he's not sure how many students know about the decision to seek business support.
Students asked about the possibility of logos appearing at their prom said it sounded weird, but good.
"I mean, as long as it lowers ticket costs nobody should care," senior Viji Ganapathi said.
Paly Principal Sandra Pearson said she thought the decision was indicative of how tight budgets are "in all aspects of the school," and how people are trying to think of ways to backfill diminishing resources. She didn't want to comment on whether s asking businesses for monetary contributions was a good idea, but did say the school is trying to focus major fund-raising efforts so students and parents know what is expected of them in terms of donations.
Rachel Metz can be e-mailed at rmetz@paweekly.com
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