Students decorate for "a night in the Orient"

Jeanine Kobler, an 18-year-old foreign exchange student from Switzerland, will attend her first prom Saturday.

"It's a really good idea," she said. "I love it. I wish we had something like this."

German exchange student Judith Altrogge,16, has similar feelings.

"It's the big American thing," she said. "I'm happy with the German school system -- the only thing missing is dances."

And the prom is the granddaddy of all high school dances.

"It's the last dance in high school," said Cody Salinas, 17. "I have to go to it. It's going to be a blast with all of my friends there."

But anyone expecting the same prom as years gone by will be in for a surprise.

"We're using a completely different color scheme than ever before," said Joshua Albertson, senior class president and prom organizer. "We are totally breaking traditions."

With "a night in the Orient" theme, the main decoration will be a 23-foot dragon. Column lights will give the high school gymnasium a soft glow and the disc jockey will be enclosed in a pagoda.

"My goal wasn't really to do something different, it just kind of happened," Joshua said.

Senior Kevin Bunch supports the idea.

"I think the theme is better than anything they've had before," he said. "It actually has some culture to it and it doesn't sound cheesy."

The prom king and queen will be chosen at the dance Saturday night from a list of 12 candidates selected by the teachers.

The Senior/Senior Prom will be held in the gym at 7 p.m. Friday.

Candidates for prom queen:

Caralee Bradshaw

Kat Kallister

Megan Keller

Allison Kop

Kristen Rose

April Varner

Candidates for prom king:

Ash Dauenhauer

Steve Hartman

Vincent Inglima

Adam McKenzie

Cody Salinas

Carl Winter