With a change in location, food, theme, and the never-ending shifts in trends, the GCHS 2026 prom looked different than last year. This raises the question: how did the Class of 2026 feel about prom this year?

Senior Sam Ullrich said that this year’s prom definitely beat last years. Ullrich said “The venue was a lot nicer and had it’s own ballroom and a separate dining room, which was nice, and the food was a lot better.” This year, Grayslake Central’s prom moved to the Westin Hotel in Itasca, Illinois. This shift in location added an additional 15 minutes to the previous bus journey. Senior TJ Rodriguez said the “bus ride there was so funny. I had a great experience on the bus ride there.” Senior Connor McCabe echoed this, and said the entire prom experience was seamless. “It was very organized. We got onto and off the bus[es] very quickly.” Rodriguez also echoed this saying “I thought this venue was better.”

Senior Abby Sindermann said she “really liked the place” and thought the food was better. In contrast, senior Kira Davies said prom was better last year than this year. “The DJ was a lot better last year, and so was the food, but the venue at this location was definitely nicer,” she said.

Senior Katie Braun agreed with Davies that she enjoyed prom more last year. She said, “I think the overall experience was better. I liked having the dining area at the same pace as where we danced.” Overall, she said there weren’t many complaints from this year, but she did think the location change contributed to her experience at prom.

According to interviews with five separate Grayslake Central prom attendees, they all agreed on one thing: according to Charlie Glover and Sam Ulrich, “the chocolate cake” was the highlight of the night.