A group of high school seniors is working hard to save their prom.
While many classmates were busy trying on dresses and fitting tuxedos, three seniors from Halloween High School focused on ensuring their class has one last prom celebration.
Due to the high ticket price of $220, many Catholic schools had to cancel their end-of-year galas, leaving some students without the opportunity to celebrate this milestone.
Ethan Amaya, determined not to miss this rite of passage at his Bronx school, decided to take action. He and his friends organized a fundraiser to help cover the costs.
The efforts of Amaya and his peers were impressive, as they managed to significantly reduce the expenses, ultimately saving the prom.
“This year has been tough on everyone, and we really feel this event should be special,” he said, emphasizing the importance of having something memorable as they finish high school together.
“I want us to experience prom as the advanced class we are, just like we came here as one.” Earlier this month, the students received disappointing news: only 30 tickets had been sold for an 82-member senior class.
This news hit hard, especially considering that the historic 115-year-old All Hallows High School is set to close, a victim of tuition challenges and dwindling enrollment.
Amaya shared how he was heartbroken upon learning of the school’s fate: “It felt like family.” Motivated by this sense of community, he collaborated with his mother, Emilia Coronado, to brainstorm fundraising ideas.
Initially, their goal was modest—covering at least 10 tickets for students who couldn’t afford them to meet the necessary threshold for the dance to go on.
Kayla Marie Perez, a recent transfer from St. Barnabas, played a key role in promoting the online fundraiser, while Emily Cueto suggested a venue change from an extravagant yacht to a more affordable spot.
They settled on a local venue, Caterers in Maestro, which cut each ticket price down to $170—a significant reduction.
Cueto explained the rationale: “Why not opt for a place we can all gather? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.” The trio quickly raised $2,000 in just a few days, which would cover additional costs and encourage more students to participate. Currently, around 45 are on board.
The goal is simple yet ambitious: raise enough funds to allow the entire class to attend for free—a tall order worth over $14,000.
“Our parents work hard to send us to school, so taking on the costs from what we’ve raised is a relief for many families,” noted Principal Nick Collado.
If their fundraising falls short, they plan to retroactively adjust the cost of tickets to $100, which would still be a stretch for many households—57% of which rely on public assistance while paying yearly tuition of $7,200.
Amaya reflected, “Our families make sacrifices to provide this education,” emphasizing the financial strain many face.
As prom approaches, Amaya and his friends remain hopeful about giving their class a fitting celebration. “We only get one prom, and it’s frustrating not to be able to spend this evening with everyone,” he said, underlining the significance of this event.
