It’s that wonderful time of the year again! The weather is getting colder, the roads are getting slicker, and STA is getting groovier! Yes, that’s right: it’s time for WPA! From disco fever to princesses of the Caribbean, STA’s tradition of a non-formal winter dance lives on. The process of picking the theme is done by Stuco: the sophomore representatives pick out 4-5 themes, present them on a slideshow with ideas on how they would look, and then open the discussion to the rest of the group to see what everyone else has to say. The sophomores are also in charge of helping with decorations, setup, and take down (junior representatives help organize homecoming and prom, so this gives sophomores a chance to work on their planning skills). The sophomores did an excellent job keeping decorations simple and fun to look at. The photo backdrop was hung right outside of the gym, where the dance took place. 

This year was the first year that WPA took place in the gym. In the past, when prom took place at Aquinas, it was held in the gym, and class moderators went all out with decorations to help make the gym look unrecognizable. And while the decorations were simple, many would agree with the idea that the gym was the way to go. To protect the gym floors, a mat was rolled over a majority of the floor, which also helped prevent stomping noises. And while some had their doubts, the gym was much cooler than the commons are. Homecoming this year was a blast. That being said, it was also extremely hot, and many left the building dripping with sweat. WPA, however, has a much more controlled temperature due to the location. This also left the commons open for tables and chairs to give students a break, as well as a water table for students to get a drink. Something else that was new this year was that tickets were actually sold at the door; typically, students must buy tickets prior to the dance. While it was convenient, ticket prices at the door were $50 per ticket, more than double the initial pricing.

The theme left plenty of room for creativity when it came to dressing up. Princesses of the Caribbean meant students could dress as any princess or prince, a pirate, a parrot, a crab, a fish, a mermaid or merman, etc. The most popular costume by far was a pirate costume. A simple white dress, brown or black corset and a waist scarf for girls and a white shirt, striped pants for boys was seen all throughout the gym. The runner up for most worn was mermaids, and few took the theme in a different direction by doing princesses. Everyone went all out for the theme and dressed to impress, showing lots of spirit for WPA this year!

 A hot topic of discussion regarding any school dance is always the DJ. Let’s face it: a good DJ can make or break a school dance. And after homecoming, the DJ had a tough act to follow. Overall, though, the DJ lived up to expectations. No person will ever be able to impress everyone, but many seemed more than satisfied with the DJ’s choice of songs. One of the most popular songs, Just Wanna Rock by Lil Uzi Verts, got most everyone excited. While some questionable songs were played, the DJ did a good job of keeping the crowd interested and involved. The time went by quickly, and most didn’t mind the required hour and a half time frame. So what did you think? Was this years WPA one for the books, or did it slide under your radar?