Students who attended the DMAE Winter Formal walked into a gym transformed into a glittering party room, and they were greeted by Student Council members with a glass of sparkling apple cider, a photo station, and a walk down “memory lane.” The memory lane was a walkway decorated with lights and posters of important icons from the 2010s such as One Direction, Twilight, Big Time Rush, and Justin Bieber. It was “2010s Rewind” to celebrate the decade past and the future of a new one.

“Student Council worked seamlessly to provide a positive experience for the students here at DMAE,” adviser Jamie Chang said. “The dance was a huge success and we hope to continue these events in the future,” Ms. Chang added. 

Students from all grades attended, more than 300 of them. They sat at tables, grabbed buffet-style catered food from Popeyes, Bartolemeo’s, Playa Bowl, and Noches de Colombia. And they danced, danced, danced to the music played by the professional DJ. 

“I’m genuinely amazed at how successful our dance was this year. Our successful dance just demonstrates the kind of growth that the council experienced in the last four years, and it’s a testament to the council’s newly elevated status on campus. We’re not just a small club of kids anymore, but are really becoming the representative student body of DMAE,” remarked Student Council co-president Brian Lee proudly. 

Two additions to the Winter Formal that Student Council worked hard to make possible were the location of the dance and the inclusion of students from other high schools. These had never been allowed before. The location changed from the North Cafeteria to the gym, and non-DMAE friends, girlfriends and boyfriends were able to attend. Consequently, attendance soared, from approximately 120 attendees who were mostly underclassmen in past years to a whopping 325 attendees this year, many of  whom were upperclassmen.

“The dance was thoroughly organized compared to previous years, and there was a good mix of students from all grades, which was partly because of the new addition of outsiders. I honestly had a lot of fun,” senior  Seleena Jacob said.

The Student Council marketed the dance on social media and school announcements for the month prior, with tickets going for $15, but to push up sales, they came up with a $10 three-days flash sale. The Council thought of everything, including safety, as all attendees needed to bring their school issued IDs and non-DMAE had to bring a pre-filled form signed by their parents. Security guards guarded the exits throughout the night and only allowed entry from the main entrance. 

“I was amazed by their willingness to take initiative and step into leadership roles without requiring acknowledgment from anyone,” Ms. Chang said.

Gallery • 39 Photos