Welcoming Back Winter Formal

By Jillian Daley

The term “snowball” has many meanings. It’s that icy ball your older brother ambushes you with on a snowy day. It’s a verb for things spiraling out of control, as well as another name for a shrub and a chilly sweet treat in the summertime. It’s also a type of dance.

But even the type of dance differs! It can involve dancers pulling a seated person onto the dance floor or a girl-asks-boy-style event! All of these things have the same name. But in North Marion, the Snowball held on February 26 was simply a much longed for and deeply welcomed winter formal fete in the pandemic years. The day of the event, the Commons was decked out with snowflakes and a snowman, and further festooned with decorations in the colors blue, white, and silver.

“It's exciting to have some normal High School activities back in action!” North Marion High School Secretary/Bookkeeper Chelsy Degman says. “Social activities like dances are so important for mental health and social growth. I'm just happy the students were able to relax, take a break, get dolled up, and have some good 'ol fashion fun with their friends!”

Normally, the school would hold an assembly to honor the court, but because of COVID-19 precautions, a new tradition unfurled. Two days before the dance, the court strode through the halls of the school, while students and staff snapped pictures like eager paparazzi.

“The Winter Formal Court Walk was a new idea that we came up with as we cannot have assemblies at the moment,” says Yadira Romero Navarro, Vice President of the Associated Student Body, which organized the Snowball. “We still wanted our court to get the feel of the whole school watching them. The court just does a walk through around the school, and, if they choose to, they can attend the dance for free.” 

Who is the court and how are they chosen? Students in each grade level vote for the Gentlemen of the Court, and the court members then get to pick their escort.

“The king was revealed through a prerecorded video that was displayed during our advisory period,” Romero Navarro says. “Within the video, our principal, Mrs. Jenness, revealed the King and Crown Prince by giving them their crowns.”

Students also select a Crown Prince and a King to honor. Here are the names of the Gentlemen of the Court and their escorts, who ushered in a new tradition and celebrated an old one in a time when the familiar is more welcome than ever:

Seniors 

• King Alex Farrens, Jaedyn Bryan
• Crown Prince Ime Guzman, Vivian McCullough
• Alexis Rodriguez, Vanessa Mariscal
• Juan Alvarez, Megan Netter

Juniors

• Luke Frolov, Saylor Swanson
• Blaine Smith, Joy Gemmill 

Sophomores

• Jack Kiesel, Jaelyn Scherwinka
• Jesse Raymundo Alejandro, Jennifer Miranda

Freshmen 

• Will Stafford, Riley Patzer
• Reece Hartenstein, Jenna Foret

To share a story with the North Marion School District, email Communications Specialist Jillian Daley at jillian.daley@nmarion.k12.or.us.