Excitement bustles on campus as students hustle to finalize the incorporation of limousines and salon appointments into their weekend plans. A smorgasbord of conversations ranging from Aristotle to American Idol is usually heard, but the most recent attention is being given to what is known as “the baby shower.”

If the connection between tuxedos and a baby shower is a bit riddling, that is because baby shower is the code word for this year’s prom.

Because campus administration and the FC board will not allow the incorporation of dancing in school activities, the annual junior-senior prom is left entirely up to the students and parents to organize financially or otherwise. No campus funds will be used to sponsor this event.

“Planning this event with the group of students has been all about learning teamwork and life lessons in making hard decisions,” Cindy Steele, parent organizer, said. “It has been amazing seeing different parents and kids step up to the plate and want to share the load.”

Past problems with proms have been avoided because of the excitement expressed by the student body as well as their desire to have a wholesome and entertaining evening.

“It’s in a really cool spot this year and I’m really looking forward to it,” Sam Fisher, ’03, said. “All seniors should be looking forward to it because it’s our last one and the nicest ever.”

However this year’s planning committee, which includes senior classmen and parents, are taking a different approach to ensuring the propriety of the activity.

“We wanted to make this prom different from any other prom,” Carli Albrechtson, head student planner for the planning committee, said. “We added a contract to let the students know that we wanted our behavior to be edifying as a Christian student body.”

Students planning the evening realize that extra-curricular special occasions are challenging to arrange. Crisis after crisis became common-place while arranging the prom.

“A week before prom nobody was buying tickets and we had to deal with the possibility of not being able to pay back all the money loaned to us by parents,” Dawn Steele, ’03, said. “The hardest part was having to postpone prom the day before because of the weather but it was in the best interests of the students.”

This year’s prom will be held at Satterstrom’s in Reedley on May 17 with pictures beginning at 7 p.m. Although originally planned for May 3, it was delayed because of rain. Tickets are on sale for $65/couple and $35/person and can be purchased from Albrechtson or by calling Cindy Steele at 875-2072.