![Sophomore Lily Bell posing as a player in the senior assassin game. Seniors participating in the game eliminate others by squirting them with a water gun, and can wear goggles for immunity against others. “People did have to go out and buy [water] guns, but most people have the googles at home, but you don’t even have to use a gun, you can use water of any sort,” senior Gwyn Christensen said.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-1-1-900x1200.jpg)
![The shadows against a captivating blue are a nod to the “Catch Me If You Can” musical poster, both for this performance and the blue from the Broadway show. The detectives in this scene are at shooting practice, in preparation for when they finally encounter Frank Abagnale Jr. “We always say our motto is ‘theater is a team sport,’ and really just emphasizing to our students that everyone is welcome in the drama department. There's always a role for you, whether or not, on stage or behind the scenes, in the costume shop, in the scene shop. [There are] all sorts of different things that go into bringing a show to life. So we love our drama hawks and welcome everyone to drama,” Drama Director Mollie Jo Blahunka said.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cmiyc-1200x800.jpg)
![Henry, Emily (2021). People we meet on vacation [Book cover]. Berkley Books. Image used under fair use for purposes of commentary and review. Haley, Brett (2026). People we meet on vacation [Movie poster]. Movie poster courtesy of 3000 Pictures and Temple Hill Entertainment. Made by Adilyn Hoop using Canva.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vacay1.png)
![Lockhart, E. (2025). We fell apart [Book cover]. Delacorte Press. Image used under fair use for purposes of commentary and review. The newest book in the “We were liars” collection was released Nov. 4.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/wefell1.png)
![A Group of PEOPEL PE students and helpers set up an obstacle course during class. The “Amazing Race” unit had started in PEOPEL PE where the students and helpers got to compete in a variety of different activities and games. “We try our best to make [inclusion] a school-wide event, but it's just so much more different when you actually engage with the students hands-on and actually get to know them as people.” Sophomore Bree Christensen said. Photo Taken by Ada McNulty.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-12-1200x900.jpg)
Prom is right around the corner, and the decision AHS students have been considering is the color of prom dresses and the tux they will be wearing for the upcoming prom. Ankeny High works hard to make sure that everyone gets the night of their dreams.
This year, the prom theme is “Written in the Stars” and will be held at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) FFA Enrichment Center on May 2nd. What some people may not realize is how much work and planning goes into making prom the best experience it could possibly be.
Emina Kovacevic, English teacher, student council sponsor and prom advisor, said, “In a less dramatic way, I think some people think of their prom the same way they think of their wedding one day, so the build-up and anticipation of it makes it exciting.”
Planning and paying for prom
The first part of planning the prom is finding the venue, deejay, and decorations. This year, the decorations will be mostly navy blue and silver, with stars. The decorator, hired by Kovacevic, costs around $2,000 and will work with her to decide what the Prom will look like. Setting it up usually takes the whole day before the prom. The theme is decided by the student council and planned during Hawk Time.
“Students just came up to me and proposed a different type of theme from past years,” Kavocevic explained, “So we just kind of rolled with it.”
Funding for prom is mostly paid for by the prom ticket sales from the years before. Prom tickets cost 20 dollars per ticket, and with around 750 students attending, that can reach up to $15,000. Therefore, ticket sales are a big drive to cover the price of the prom.
“Venue plus the DJ is 10,000 [dollars] right there,” Kovacevic explained. “So maybe around $12,000,” which is her estimate for the price of prom.
After-Prom
After-Prom is another part of prom that students enjoy that is hosted at Ankeny High School. The theme for this year is “Party in the USA.” After-Prom is planned by parents and is funded by local businesses, donations, and past years. The After-prom party is known for having big prizes and lots of games for students to get in comfier clothes and have a good time.
A member of the After-Prom committee and parent, Julia Alber, said, “With everything combined, the total is around $53,000.”
After-Prom is reportedly one of the students’ favorite parts of prom and is talked about a lot. It’s a place where students can have fun with friends with a different vibe than prom. After-Prom offers the opportunity to eat good food and the chance to win prizes. In past years, some students have won prizes as big as a car.
“After-Prom gives the students a place to go after the actual dance. It helps keep them out of trouble, helps keep them safe, [and it is] just a place to have fun with friends,” Alber said.
Infographic created by Lillian Bell using Canva.
How much students spend
When it comes to students, they can pay for as much or as little as they want for prom. Some girls will spend money getting hair, makeup, and nails done. Additionally, other things can include purses, shoes, and in some cases, a professional photographer.
When it comes to dresses, senior Avery Taylor said, ”I’m going to be honest, mine was $500.” She then explained how, “Some people spend up to $1,000.”
Dresses for prom can usually range from $200 to $ 1,500, depending on the stores or boutiques students go to. Reportedly, the style of prom dresses this year seems to be bright colors, corsets, satin, and strapless.
Some students will go to stores such as Celebrations Couture to shop for their dresses. This is the same store that also sells wedding dresses and shows an example of what wedding dresses cost, which in some cases can be comparable to prom dresses.
Prom is an event that represents the fun of high school. Lots of planning and money goes into prom from multiple perspectives. It’s important to know how much work goes into prom to appreciate it because it’s an event that is only attended a few times.
“Prom is so stereotypical American in the best way,” Kovacevic stated. “It’s glamorized and romanticized on TV.”
Prom represents the ending of the school year and the excitement of what’s to come. It gets upperclassmen excited for upcoming life, for juniors it is being seniors the next school year, and for seniors it is a welcoming into adulthood.
Prom for seniors is their last hurrah before the school year ends, and everyone parts ways for the very last time. Taylor described it as being “kind of like a last goodbye, it’s bittersweet like that.”
