Rachel Dunn

Many juniors and seniors attended this year’s masquerade-themed prom on April 27, 2024. With the venue replicating the same elegance necessary for the prom theme, positive reviews came back from students who attended.

On April 27, Ayala held their masquerade-themed prom at Coto de Caza Country Club for all seniors, juniors, and guests to enjoy. With the many prom festivities that this year’s prom offered, the night was full of liveliness and fun.

This year’s prom offered much more than just partying. Not only was there dancing and music with the swing band and DJ, there were also other things to enjoy, like gambling, ice cream, a horse and carriage, photo booths, a soda bar, and a chocolate fountain. While the expensive cost made some people hesitant to attend this year’s prom, most agree that it was worth going.

“Paying over $100 to go to a dance seems kind of unreasonable and I almost didn’t go, [but] my friends ended up convincing me to go and I’m glad I did,” Emily Schott (12) said.

The venue itself was also a huge hit. Despite prom being held over an hour away from Chino Hills, the luxury of the country club made the drive worth it for many. Many upperclassmen said that they preferred this year’s location much more than last year’s prom, which was held on a rooftop in Los Angeles.

“Driving an hour to get to the prom location was a bit of an inconvenience, but once I got there, the fancy venue made it all worth it,” Isaac Diaz (12) said. “Last year’s prom was a bit sketchy since it was in a bad location, but this year I felt really safe.”

Prior to the dance, there was mild controversy regarding the wearing of masks to the masquerade themed dance. Thinking that masks were not allowed, many students were upset, feeling like the theme was useless. Though upon arrival, free masks were being offered to everyone upon entry. This added level of decorations made the prom even more of a blast for all attendees.

Even after all the fun that the night offered, there were still a few criticisms regarding the DJ. Many that attended reported that the music was not as good as previous years and there were still improvements that could have been made.

“The bass was cranked up really high and couldn’t hear anyone talking,” Caroline Schwartz (12) said. “I felt that the DJ was playing either super generic or super niche songs. Regardless, I still had a good time.”

For seniors Chloe Clyborne and Christian Sanchez, their night was extra memorable after winning prom queen and king. Though many couples were nominated, Clyborne and Sanchez took the prize and celebrated with a slow dance for all to see. 

This eventful night will be one that many couples and friends will remember for a long time to come. With all the planning that was put into this year’s prom, it turned out to be a success, with people already reminiscing.

“Even though I was hesitant at first, I am really glad I ended up going,” Schott concluded. “A lot of my favorite songs were played and the snacks were great. I’m just sad this was my last prom.”