In a move to foster inclusivity and school spirit, Highland High School made its 2025 prom completely free for students, a decision that led to record attendance and widespread praise from students.
Principal Jeremy Chatterton described the event as a success, noting a significant increase in the number of students who attended compared to previous dances in the past years.
“We had higher attendance compared to other years, would definitely say it was increased compared to the other dances we’ve done this year that weren’t free. So, for example, like, winter formal, things like that, there was a much larger number of students that attended prom. So that we were pleased about that,” Chatterton said.
The push to make prom free was part of a broader effort to remove financial barriers from school events. Highland’s administration, in partnership with the Highland Foundation, worked to secure the necessary funding. Landon Clark, a member of the Highland Rams Foundation, emphasized the importance of this collaboration.
“The school worked with the Highland Rams Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the students at Highland, as well as with Mindy in Family Support. Our collaboration helped secure the funding needed to make this dance free, allowing more students to participate without the financial barrier that can come with other dances and activities,” Clark said.
The positive impact was felt throughout the student body, but the free admission also brought some unexpected challenges.
“I think the biggest adjustment for us is the people that there was a much larger increase of guests that came from other schools,” Chatterton said. “So, I think that’s one of the things that we’re kind of looking at and thinking about now. Should we maybe charge for guests to come? Because I think that was one of the one of the biggest, I don’t know, again, I don’t know if concerns the right word, but just the biggest takeaways is that there seem to be a very, very large number of guests that can’t pay the fee.”
Despite these logistical considerations, the school remains committed to making key dances accessible to all.
“We’ve been obviously having this conversation for a while with the dances and with what’s been happening. Our focus again was to make Homecoming free, which we were able to do. And then the other dances, I think we really just saw a marked drop in attendance, be they stomps or more formal dances. So, we’ve been trying to find different ways that we can fund it. Some of the things that we were hoping we were going to be able to do didn’t quite pan out, but going through our budget, we felt like it was something that we could afford using discretionary money that the school had,” Chatterton said.
The Highland Foundation played a crucial role in this effort, relying on the generosity of the community.
“Luckily, donating to the school is easy! We were able to overcome any challenges thanks to the generosity of our community donating to the foundation and to family support,” Clark said.
Looking ahead, Chatterton and the school administration are considering creative solutions to keep dances free or low-cost, such as hosting events on campus rather than renting venues.
“I think we’re definitely going to try to find as many workarounds as possible. What that looks like in the long run in terms of what the dance is then going to look like. Obviously, it’s a lot cheaper to run prom or run homecoming if we’re not at a venue that we have to rent,” Chatterton said. “Would it be appropriate to run prom at Highland? I mean, is that something that people want to be able to do? So, I think that’s kind of where we need to gauge what we can afford in terms of making free. I think we will have a commitment to making sure that we have homecoming and prom free for the time being. The other dances, I think we’re just going to have to see.”
For Landon Clark, the mission is clear.
“I believe that keeping dances free or inexpensive is very important because it ensures that all students at Highland have the opportunity to participate. School events should be inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances, so that every student feels welcome and involved in the school community. Making dances affordable helps create a more unified and supportive environment where no one is left out.”
As Highland High celebrates the success of its free prom, the school community looks forward to more events that bring students together, without the worry of cost standing in the way.