Prom Near Home, Styled Like Rome (Well… Greece)

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By Kiara ViDemantay

Staff Writer

On the evening of April 19, 2025, students dressed in gowns and suits stepped into a night inspired by ancient Greek mythology as this year’s prom brought the theme Elysian Nights to life.

This year, prom was held at the John P. Eliopulos Hellenic Center, located just a minute’s drive from Antelope Valley College. The venue was an expansive banquet hall capable of seating over 300 people in its main room, and it is connected to a Greek Orthodox Church. This year’s location was much closer than the two previous prom spots: Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles and Los Robles Greens in Thousand Oaks. Some students had mixed feelings about the location initially, but many warmed up to it once the night began.

“Honestly, I thought I was going to go until I found out that the venue was going to be right up the street from school and the dance was going to be over so early,” admitted Sophia Kendall, a junior. “Prom seemed to turn out really nice anyway, but I’m excited for next year.”

The event ran from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., giving students a full evening of eating and dancing. The building’s Greek-style design and beautiful interior left a unique impression.

“Honestly, the venue was amazing,” said junior Johnny Young. “I felt like I was in a marble statue… like inside a statue. That’s how interesting the venue was.”

Not to be outshined, the music was by all accounts a highlight of the night keeping students out of their chairs and on the dance floor.

“Shout out to the DJ!” exclaimed both Johnny and senior Brianna Perez, who added, “My favorite part of the night was dancing to the Spanish music.”

Not everyone agreed on the food, however. The banquet featured pasta, bread, tri-tip, and other classic dishes. “The food? It was scrumptious, I loved it,” said Johnny. “No, the food was actually really good, especially the pasta,” echoed Brianna. But junior Julian Rubine disagreed, “I didn’t like the food as much,” he said, laughing, “I only ate the bread.”

Julian, however, was quick to praise the night overall. “It was fun, I danced a lot. I think everything went well. The DJ was good, the music was good, the atmosphere was nice, and everything was genuinely put together well. I feel like a lot of people at first didn’t like the location, but ended up being okay with it when the night came.”

As the final song played and the night drew to a close, students left the Hellenic Center with sore feet, full hearts, and plenty of photos. Whether they danced the night away or just came for the pasta, Elysian Nights was a night that SOAR students won’t forget.