Mask on.

     The Frosh/Soph formal, Masquerade Ball, takes place after being postponed for three months.

     “A lot of consideration has gone into this year’s freshman/sophomore formal,” Freshman/Sophomore Class Board Sponsor Llyoandra Cooper says.

In past years, the Formal took place in the spring. Though, three years ago, the date was switched to December in an attempt to increase attendance which is what drives the budget.

“The idea was that more students would be eligible to go if the dance took place earlier in the year because there would be less opportunities to rack up detentions,” says Nicole Boyd, Director of Student Activities.

     These hopes, however, were not realized this year as many students complained about the prospect of having two formal dances (Homecoming being the first), in one semester. The shift has caused some unexpected complications in attendance for some students.

     “I’m very excited to attend formal this year because of the fact that it will be held in spring, and I think that the theme is really fun,” sophomore Megan Mulvihill says.

     One idea to combat low attendance was to allow students to vote on the dance’s theme. A poll was sent to students at the beginning of second semester. Masquerade Ball had the majority of the votes.

     For Cooper, going all out means giving maximum control to the people the dance is meant for: the students of the Freshman and Sophomore classes.

     “This year, I had the students plan a majority of the dance. The students are selling tickets, creating art to display in Beardsley, making announcements, and helping with the decor,” says Cooper.

     The dance will be DJed and will feature diverse genres of music, mainly selected based on student requests. It will also include a photo booth, snacks and refreshments. Food is a newer element to the dance. This year’s dance is catered by Buffalo Joe’s.

     The Formal takes place on Mar. 10 from 7-10p.m. in Beardsley Gym. Tickets can be bought in the lobby for $15 on March 7, 8 and 9 or for $20 at the door.