On Saturday, February 1, students gathered at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City to enjoy this year’s Winter Formal, which was themed a “Night in New York.” The doors opened at 7 p.m., providing Tigers with exciting memories until 11 p.m., when the dance ended.
The National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation Boards, led by moderators Jonathan Tomzcak and Helen Ciernick, respectively, made up the Winter Formal Committee, which planned the dance. The members of these boards were split into five sub-committees: Reveal, Advertising, Decorations, Food & Hotel and Entertainment.
Junior Adrianna Chu played a critical role in making the reveal video come to life, helping write the script along with other students on the board. Staying true to the theme, they were diligent in incorporating New York references that happened to include members of the staffulty.
“Student involvement in the dance is important because, at the end of the day, it’s a dance for the students. So, getting the student’s active inputs makes the dance itself more engaging and more up-to-date,” shared Chu.
Before the dance itself took place, members of the Advertising Committee constructed a bulletin board to publicize the event and encourage students to purchase tickets.
Thanks to the hard work of the Decorations Committee, students were immersed in a New York theme for the entirety of the night. The venue heavily featured the New York City skyline with mason jar centerpieces displaying this image and a lit-up depiction on a wall. There were also various street signs put up outside the ballroom to make attendees feel like they were in the city.
In efforts to carry on tradition, the Food & Hotel Committee ensured that the dance was hosted at the Crowne Plaza and coordinated important details between the board and the venue. They also offered a variety of food options for Tigers and their guests, including pizza, chicken tenders, fries and frozen yogurt with numerous toppings to choose from, along with allergy-friendly options.
The Entertainment Committee provided a DJ, so students could have fun on the dance floor. For those who did not want to dance, there was a photo booth as well as games and a karaoke machine – A new addition this year.
For most students, this was not their first time attending the dance. However, for freshmen, this was their introduction to what an NDB Winter Formal is like.
Freshman Kathy Dinger described that the dance met all her expectations, with the only advice to future freshmen being, “Get all of your friends and socialize with people. And, bring a jacket.”
While the Jaguars have three more winter formals to look forward to, that cannot be said for the senior Class of 2025.
Senior Tila Chin, who has attended the dance every year, was disappointed that this was her last one.
To Chin, the key to the dance meeting her expectations is that everyone attending is there to have fun. “I think everyone should come with the mindset of having a good time,” she said.
From playing games to dancing, this memorable evening was a great way for students to enjoy their time in high school through school-wide bonding as attendees danced the night away.
