With the school year waning, Seniors have been spotted asking their dates to Prom in fun and creative ways, carrying on the long tradition of “promposals.”
Billy Casagrande ’15, Sina Golkari ’15, Liana Brooks ’15 and Emma Crowe ’15:
As Liana Brooks ’15 and Emma Crowe ’15 approached Samuel Phillips Hall after All-School Meeting (ASM) last Wednesday, they were met by Billy Casagrande ’15 and Sina Golkari standing in front of a large U-Haul truck, with a taped sign that read “Liana and Emma, will U-Haul us to prom?”
“I was definitely nervous once everyone was coming out from ASM… but it was definitely worth it once everyone was out watching and clapping,” said Casagrande. Golkari initially came up with this promposal idea. He and Casagrande searched for a creative, big, yet affordable way to ask their dates and found out that splitting the cost to rent a U-Haul truck would be a good option.
“I think we maximized extravagance with low cost… I don’t think it really offended anyone necessarily. Most of the students that I have talked to thought it was cool and a well thought-out plan,” said Casagrande.
Alex Li ’15 and Sofia Valenzuela ’15:
With lit candles spelling out “Prom?,” Alex Li ‘15 asked Sofia Valenzuela ‘15 out to prom outside her dorm, Alumni House.
“I actually got the idea when I was watching ‘Tangled’ with my little sister. It was when Flynn and Rapunzel released the lanterns into the sky, and I thought to myself, ‘Wouldn’t something like that be cool for a promposal?’ so I went from there and developed the idea,” wrote Li in an email to The Phillipian.
The preparation of the promposal presented itself as a challenge for Li. Because it would be outdoors, Li had to get his idea approved by Phillips Academy Public Safety. He also had trouble keeping the candles lit due to the blowing wind.
“I was actually quite frantic because the candles kept on being blown out by the wind. It took me three tries to finally get to a point where they were all lit. I was so nervous during the promposal because some small gusts of wind kept on coming… I was so relieved and happy afterwards though, knowing that it all went perfectly,” said Li.
As Valenzuela’s dorm mates peered outside the windows above her dorm, Valenzuela came down screaming ‘Yes!’.
Marina Folz ’15 & Gabe Blanchard ’16:
Marina Folz ‘15 decided to stage a scavenger hunt to ask Gabe Blanchard ‘16 to Prom. During their crew practice, Folz asked one of her friends to hand Blanchard the first clue to the hunt before their practice last Wednesday.
“[The clue] led him to four different buildings that spelled out ‘PROM’ in the end, and the last clue led him back behind to where the buses leave for crew,” said Folz.
“The clue that [Blanchard] got at Pearson Hall said, ‘The red boats are coming, the red boats are coming!’ kind of like, ‘The redcoats are coming,” [for] Paul Revere Dorm,” said Folz.
Blanchard had not expected the promposal, and he attempted to find out the identity of the person launching the event as his friends were following him along the hunt.
“I was pretty confused at first. It was a pretty long scavenger hunt and we ended up in the same place as we started which only confused me more. But I also was surprised. I kind of knew that someone was going to ask me, but it was still definitely a surprise,” said Blanchard.
Jacob Kozol ’15 & Paulina Munn ’15
Jacob Kozol ‘15 enlisted the help of the Andover Varsity Crew team to ask Paulina Munn ‘15 to Prom. Before practice, he painted the letters P, R, O and M on the backs of the bow four rowers on his boat, with a question mark written on his stomach.
“She was on the launch that day so I got the coach to drive out in front of my boat and then I gave a very indiscrete signal. They all took their shirts off and I did also.. then, one at a time, they laid down, spelling out ‘PROM’ and then I just stood up,” said Kozol.
He was inspired by “ghostboating,” a fun act rowers in novice boats do by lying down flat in the boat, making it seem like the boat is empty. Once he settled on the idea, Kozol said it was only a matter of buying blue paint and convincing the rowers on his boat to participate.
“She was pretty surprised, of course said ‘yes’ and then gave me an air hug because I was on the boat! She knew I was going to ask her, she just didn’t know how,” Kozol said.
