Bengals Antsy for 'A Night at the Gatsby's'

It's been a school year's worth of planning, scheming and dreaming, and with one day left until prom, Oak Forest High School students are antsy for their "Night with Gatsby."

The setting for the prom would make F. Scott Fitzgerald proud; the vaulted ceilings and marbled hallways reflect the opulence of the mansion penned in The Great Gatsby. The junior/senior prom will take place from 7–11 p.m. Friday, May 13, at Field Museum in downtown Chicago.

"The location, being at the Field Museum, will be perfect," said junior and student council member Maddy Budil.

Students chose the location last year, said faculty coordinator Nanci Kopecky—but every senior class wants all the stops pulled out for their big night.

"They (seniors) told us what they wanted, they gave us a wish-list," Budil said.

It was the council members' job to match that wish-list as much as possible.

"It's a lot of working together, a lot of compromise," said junior Nora Plank. "Everyone worked really well together."

"You have to please everyone," added Budil. "Every senior has such a strong opinion."

The students planned fundraisers, like a formal wear fashion show in January, to help keep the costs as low as possible for students. The night at the Field ran students $80 per person, and 350 tickets were sold. Kopecky said it's one of the higher grossing proms.

Plank and Budil will both attend the prom and are looking forward to a night to remember—Budil bought her dress in Arizona while on spring break, because she wanted to stand out. Hers is green, long and straight—Plank's is purple, "pretty simple" and straight. Both girls said it's an "unspoken rule" that the seniors are entitled to the puffier dresses.

The Monday the week of prom, Budil and fellow council members surprised prom court nominees with a sash, tiara and rose (for the girls) and a sash and rose (for the guys).

"We crown them, sash them, give them their rose," Budil said. "They love the attention."

Voting will take place during the dance, and the prom king and queen will be announced near the end of the night.

But it's not just the night of prom that has students stoked. The morning after, back at the high school, they'll enjoy a post-prom breakfast with bagels, fruits, Danish, and more. Students in Bengals Against Distracted Driving won the money for the breakfast, awarded by Illinois Department of Transportation for their safe driving campaign.

Kopecky said she's enjoyed watching the council members work together and problem-solve along the way.

"The pressure, watching then go through the process, they came out more confident," she said.

Budil agreed.

"I just can't wait for it all to pay off," Budil said.

Patch will meet the students at the Field Museum, for the visual scoop on the best dresses, best hair and best tux. Be sure to check the site first thing Saturday morning.