Prom night

Tonight's "Under the Starlit Sky" is the first Carson High School prom held off campus in 14 years.

The last class that ditched the school gym for a different location was the class of 1991. They went to the Carson Nugget.

This year's class decided to spice things up a bit after they found out from Principal Fred Perdomo early in the year that there was no rule requiring them to hold prom in the gym.

"It all came together pretty nicely," said senior Alyssa Jensen, who plans to wear a red-dress-that-fades-to-pink to the prom. "We had some budget problems at the beginning, but we got through them."

The sales of the extra 25 tickets along with the original 500, which cost from $40-$45 - depending on if purchasers had student body cards - helped cover nearly all the costs for prom.

"You have a total atmosphere here," said senior Jeremiah Schenzel, who helped decorate Genoa Lakes Golf Resort on Friday. "If you don't want to sit and listen to music, you can go outside, see the mountains and it's totally beautiful."

One hundred twenty five strands of lights were purchased to hang up in the tent off the backside of the resort. A deejay from West Coast Entertainment in Reno will play popular tunes, most of which were suggested by students, like the line-dancing tune Cotton-Eyed Joe and songs by Usher.

The white lights will drape down just enough to align with the tent entrance. Tables on the deck will be strewn with rose petals. Inside the resort, the Mile High Jazz Band from Carson City will play in a room where students can mingle and snack on hors d'oeuvres. Photos are available downstairs in a separate room.

"I'm looking forward to the jazz band and the hors d'oeuvres in the main lodge," said senior Todd Crowell, who is glad the senior class is holding the prom at the resort. "It's better than going to the gym."

Perdomo, who will be chaperoning the prom and went out Thursday with staff to see the site, said that the costs for having the prom off-campus are about the same as having it in the gym.

"Really it's not any more expensive to hold it off campus," he said. "We spend about the same because just decorating the gym you have to buy a themed-package."

Prom began being held on campus years ago after places wanted to charge extra for allowing students to decorate the day before. Also, there are few areas that can host an event for 500 students, he said.

"It's a new (site) and I think it'll be exciting," he said. "If it all goes well and they want to do it again there next year, that's fine by me."

Most of the students will dine with their dates or in groups before heading out to "Under the Starlit Sky."

"I'm excited but I'm also sad," Jensen said. "It's what you look forward to your four years in school. You see all of the seniors going and then all of a sudden it's your turn."

n Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.