'Great To See Smiling Faces': Warde Celebrates At In-Person Prom

FAIRFIELD, CT — With the coronavirus seeming to be largely in the rearview mirror in Connecticut, Fairfield Warde High School’s graduating class of 2021 celebrated the end of the year with an in-person prom Saturday night.

“If you told me months ago that we were going to have a prom like this, I wouldn’t have believed it,” senior Olivia Lane said.

Experiencing the mixed emotions of saying goodbye to her classmates and high school, she said one day she would be telling her own children about what a weird and wild year it was.

“It just feels surreal to me to be with everyone one last time, (but) it feels like the beginning of a great future,” she said.

More than 300 students attended the party, which was held outside in the main courtyard and featured dancing under a large tent, games, snacks and lots of socializing.

“It’s so exciting,” Head Principal Paul Cavanna said. “I’m so thankful for this beautiful night.”

He noted that the year had been tough for students, with many activities canceled or changed because of the pandemic, but that this event was a well-deserved party to bring senior year to a close.

“It’s just so great to see smiling faces,” he said.

“It’s so nice to see all the students without their masks on, smiling and happy,” Caryn Campbell, director of student services, concurred.

She, too, opined the disappointments that the pandemic put on students.

“They’ve lost out on so much,” she said.

Many students agreed.

“I’m just grateful that we were able to do it,” Zander Egervari said of the prom.

“We deserved it,” noted student Alexandra Purdy.