Sage Oak Student Leadership: Behind the Scenes of Prom Preparation

Sage Oak ASB Director, Brenda Ramirez, and ASB/Prom Committee leaders, Marina, Olivia, and Madeline to explore the exciting details of the "Once Upon a Time" themed prom at Sage Oak Charter School. Brenda, the head of ASB, introduces the passionate student leaders behind the event, emphasizing their collaborative efforts with i-Lead students.

Olivia, ASB President, discusses the hands-on approach to prom planning, with a large committee dedicated to creating an extraordinary experience. Marina sheds light on the creative process behind choosing the enchanting theme, which promises to transport attendees to a fairy tale world.

The students share their excitement for prom night, including dancing, photos, snacks, and desserts. They also provide practical advice on attire, emphasizing comfort and individual style for the outdoor venue. Brenda directs listeners to the Sage Oak website for ticket information, highlighting the early bird pricing available. In conclusion, the episode extends a warm invitation to attend the "Once Upon a Time" prom and experience an evening of enchantment, friendship, and fun.

Thank you for listening to the Sage Studio podcast presented by Sage Oak Charter Schools and hosted by Tiffiny Webster, M.A.Ed. We invite you to follow the show and leave your review below. Sage Oak Charter Schools is an independent study nonclassroom based TK-12 personalized learning public charter school serving students in Southern California. Visit sageoak.education for more information.

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Transcript

0:14

Well, welcome to another episode of Sage Studio. I am Tiffiny Webster, and today we are talking about all things prom and ASB at Sage Oak, which is always a fun topic. So welcome to Brenda and Marina and Olivia and Madeline. We are so excited to have you here today. Brenda, I'm going to let you start since you are the head of our ASB here at Sage Oak, introduce this panel to me of who we're speaking with today. All right. Good morning. Thank you for having us again. I'm so excited to talk about our ASB and mainly are very women empowered leadership committee that we have. This is our leadership team for our ASB and then also members of our prom committee who are working with i-Lead to put on a spectacular prom for you guys this year. It's going to be lit. So good. So good. Olivia is here. Olivia, why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself and your role on ASB? Hi, I'm Olivia. So what I do on ASB is I'm the president this year and I'm head of events committee and then I'm one of the members on Prom committee. So good. All right, Marina, hello to you. Introduce yourself and what you do with Sage Oak ASB and Prom. I'm Marina, and I'm vice president this year on ASB, and I'm also on events committee with Olivia, and I'm also a member on Prom committee this year. Very nice. You're keeping busy on top of all the work that you're doing in your classes. Good for you. Love it. And hey Madeline, how are you? Hi, I'm Madeline. I'm a member of ASB this year and I'm on the leadership team and events committee and prom committee. You ladies are definitely busy, which I love to see. I think it's so great that you are involved in so many ways at Sage Oak and actually, I think that is one of the things that is wonderful about this program, Brenda, that you oversee, is that you give these students an opportunity to be really involved in something and not just be a part of something, but actually be involved in conceiving these events, putting them together, collaborating with other schools. And I am here for it. I want to hear all about it. So Olivia talked to me about just really how hands on the students are in planning this event. A lot. So there's what so what we're doing with prom committee is that there's five i-Lead students and the three of us for Sage Oak, it's going to be a collaborative prom again this year, which is really exciting. And it's so great to be working with i-Lead again, especially since we have some returning members from last year to you on the committee. And of course meeting new people, which is really fun. So yeah, it's a big committee so it's all one big group effort, just like it is with events committee and ASB. Our theme this year is once upon a time, which is really cool. And it's going to be at the Fullerton Arboretum the fourth Star Wars day. So this whole fairy tale thing kind of. But which is really cool and we've seen the venue and we all went as like a group and it's super pretty yeah, we're gonna be in like this little pavilion and it's it's really cool. So yeah, we're really excited and that we're gonna have of course dj And like a snack and dessert table And there's all kinds of decorations are already looking at. So it's really exciting. So much planning is already underway. And I love how you guys just get so excited and go all in on everything from the planning to the location to all of the special details, like the desserts and the music and all that. So good. Marina, I'm going to come to you for a second because I want to know what is it like to partner with another charter school when you are planning this. And why do you do that? Why don't you just keep it, Sage Oak? Why do you, why do you do the partnership? I think, so we can have like more funds and we can have more people and it's like a big party, which is great. And it was weird at first collaborating with our students because we don't know them. But I think we all work together pretty well because we're all on, they're on their own ASB. And we're on our own ASB together finding the theme, and figuring out what the food, and decorations, and they went to see the location yeah, working together has been really awesome. So that's cool, so you do some of this planning together, where you each get your prom committees together on Zoom, or on Discord, but then you're meeting in person as well to check out the venue? Yes, they met in person, and then we also meet on Zoom and on Discord. I love that. That is so cool. I'm going to come to you now, Madeline. You start to get your prom committee together. You start working with the other school. How do you decide on a theme? What is that process like? Tell me a little bit about that. That process was a lot of brainstorming. Okay. It happened a lot over Zoom. We came up with so many ideas. We had 20 ideas, I think. And then it was just like narrowing them down. We went and visited the venue and that really helped us like narrow it down. We kind of got to see what would fit the best. And after that, then we were pretty set on I think four or three different ideas and then from there we kind of just voted on which one to do and our ASBs voted on the process so we just filled out like a little Google doc and yeah once upon a time one so that was kind of like our process for picking theme I love that. So Brenda, tell me, how much a part of ASB and these events is it about the leadership versus actually just trying to get all the details, taking care of it and put it together? The purpose of ASB and all these committees is giving these people a chance to show and shine what their skills are and kind of facilitating them into being able to realize what it takes to put something like this together. They talk about the budget. We, we go through the whole process. So they have to stay within a certain amount. And one of the reasons we ended up going with another charter school is totally what Marina said is that with more kids, we can have, 250 students, which opens the doors for bigger venues and with both schools participating, then we're not having to cover the whole cost. And it just it was a huge success last year. I mean, the kids had a blast. They all made friends which is really the goal of all of this is for the kids to connect in person and make friends and make friends from other schools. And we may even, think about opening it to charter schools in general next year. I don't know. We'll see. There is some discussion about the possibility of making it, more than two charter schools Where it goes, because our problems when we first started, I mean, we had less than 100 kids and, you just couldn't really find a venue that you could afford to do this. So it's just really, really changed, but the kids do it all, I just facilitate, I'll interject if there's something they need to think about or whatever, but they, they do all the planning, all of them, including the kids for my lead. Their, their leader also is the same, we both just, give them the opportunity to. Collaborate and see what they come up with. And it's awesome to watch so good. Olivia. I know that you've been involved in prior prom committees as well. So I mean, just speak to that a little bit. As far as as the student participation what do you love about being on prom committee? And what do other students like about being involved in this process? Why does it matter to them? tHere's a lot of just like really rewarding like aspects to it. That's really fun. Seeing when you like when all the prom stuff comes together and it's like the actual night which everyone's really excited. Getting ready, as like a prom committee or like you know as your like team, and then helping to decorate so you get to decorate it and like see. Literally just see it come to life like right in front of you and you get to do it with your friends, which is really awesome. And then you know you see everyone get there and hear and talk about it and see the night go on and All the declarations, it sparkles and there's so much life in the music and people and everything, which is really cool. and then with working with i-Lead and everything, like meeting new people and making new friends and everything. And just talking to them and just, that doesn't always happen as much as if you were in a regular school. So working with a big committee, it definitely has its perks because you get to expand on seeing people more and working with different things and stuff, which is cool. So you've had a chance to be a part of these committees and meet some of these people so that by the time you get to prom, like you already have some friendships made for other students, they might be walking into this not knowing anybody. So how do you go from, maybe they don't really know who's going to be there or what it's going to be like. How do you encourage your fellow students to attend the prom? I'll start with you, Marina. like we don't see people every day, so people are going there with the intention of wanting to make friends and everyone's like really friendly. And we also encourage people know like people are going to be there and you can make friends. I think it's really cool and I know a lot of people like. get together on Discord and like plan little like meetups before and get dinner and everyone gets to go to prom and groups and the groups meet and I think it's really cool especially with adding another school. Like I met a couple people from the last school and they were all really friendly and it was really awesome. It wasn't awkward at all everyone had just a blast. So you just slipped a great little tip in there, which is that you don't have to wait till the day of prom to meet some people that might be there. There are some ways that you can start getting involved now, like through Discord and some of the events and Madeline, you're shaking your head too. What are some ways that people can start to meet people now so that they don't feel so awkward like the night of prom? Yeah. I mean, I agree with what Marina said about discord. There's also our like monthly hangouts. I think that's an awesome way to meet people and stuff, especially People who will be going to prom because at our hangouts, there's a lot of our, ASB and stuff and like almost all of them attend prom. So I think that's a great way to, start to get to know people, find people you can go with. I also think that another great thing that kind of makes it less awkward for a lot of people is that you can bring, a high school student who's maybe doesn't go to say joke with you and it doesn't have to be like a date date, but yeah it can be fun to have a friend with you. And there'll be like so many like fun games and like dancing. It's like very easy to like make friends and stuff. That is such a good idea, especially because it's more than one high school. You're like, no, listen, I promise like there are going to be other people there that are meeting people for the first time that don't even go to this. So you wouldn't be, alone in bringing someone that wasn't a part of either one of these schools. So I think that's a great way to bring in somebody, make them feel a little bit more comfortable. Okay, what about attire? What should people expect? What should they be wearing? How should they be preparing for this super magical night? Olivia, what do you think? Definitely wear whatever you want, what's ever comfortable, whatever makes you like, feel good and excited and everything about prom. So I personally like to match the theme, but I know some people like to and some people don't. So just because we have a theme doesn't mean you have to, show up in a big princess ball gown. But if you want, that's cool too. But yeah, so the only thing that we kind of have about prom this year is that because it is going to be outdoors Kind of keep that in mind because it is going to be in like a garden area. So with maybe like a length of a dress or something like that, keeping that in mind. And also our shoes that there's going to be gravel and stuff like that. So maybe things that are like more open, like sandals or heels may or may not be like as comfortable, but that is totally up to to each its own. But that would be kind of our only little tips about attire, but, yeah, that I saw last year that everyone, it's not just last year every theme we've had there's people who match the theme, there's people who don't, and still look, everybody looks amazing yeah, it's up to you. So it's still like kind of come up to prom, dress your best, whatever that is for you, whatever works for you and what's comfortable. But just keep in mind that, yes, it is going to be outdoors this year. And that beautiful enchanted botanical garden is going to be so amazing. But you're right. You do have to dress a little differently, knowing that that's the case. Marina, what are you looking forward to with prom? Oh, I'm really looking forward to it because last year was so fun being able to meet up with my friends and just dance with them. I know we have. We're gonna have some form of photos, like last year we had a photo booth, and we had someone taking pictures, and we're gonna have some form of photos, I think we're still figuring that out, but that's really fun, and I know people, like people from i-Lead too, had so much fun just taking photos, like with groups, or just yourself, or with your date, it was really fun. I know we also had food. We're going to have snacks and like desserts. So that's really exciting. Yeah, the dancing is always great. And Madeline, how about you? What are you looking forward to? Oh I don't know. I've been to the venue. It's just an amazing venue. I'm looking forward to taking lots of pictures. There are so many good like places for photo ops and stuff. There's even like a little waterfall if I'm remembering correctly, like right outside the venue. So yeah, it's very beautiful. And I'm just looking forward to being outside and, maybe seeing some stars yeah. And just like dancing and just everything. If someone needed just that one little extra push, if they were feeling on the fence about going to prom, what would you say to them, Madeline? I would say this is just a great opportunity to meet people, meet friends. You'll have a blast no matter what. just trust me. It's not gonna be awkward. There's gonna be also a lot of other people who maybe haven't been to a Sage Oak event before. Maybe it's their first time, too. And if you're not into dancing, that's okay, too. We usually have games, we'll have food, we'll just have places to mingle. Whatever you're into just come and just see how it is, and I'm sure you'll have a great time. I just love how much thought that you've put into it all as a committee to not only make it a beautiful event, but such a welcoming event where people can just come and they can get to meet other friends, other high school students from Sage Oak, from other schools. But just other teenagers who just want to have a really great evening. So it sounds like it's going to be super magical. I know that the students really have enjoyed the proms in the past. They seem to just keep getting better and better, which is such a cool thing. Brenda, how about any other nitty gritty details? If people want to find out more information about attending or where it's located or purchasing tickets, where should they go? Go to the sageoak.education website. All the information is there. As Olivia mentioned, it's the Fullerton Arboretum, which is on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. It's on May 4th from 7 to 11. And we have early bird prices right now until March 1st, I believe, or February 29th. So I would take advantage of those$80 per person and$ $150 per couple. So when we say per couple, it doesn't mean you have to be a date date. It could just be a friend to save the $10. That'll be till February 29th and then it'll go up $10. Get into those early bird prices. So we look forward to seeing you all. We have such a great time. I get that out there on the dance floor too, with the kids and we have a blast. I mean, they do not stop dancing last year. It was just so much fun. So great. Thank you all so much for being on the podcast. You truly, again, continue to just impress all of us with your leadership skills at such a young age and what you're able to accomplish and how well you're able to work with other schools to turn out such an amazing event for all of your friends. And so I have no doubt that this one is going to be any different. It sounds like it's already off to an amazing start. May the 4th be with you. May the 4th prom is coming up once upon a time. It's going to be very magical. Don't miss it. Check out sageoak.education for all the prom details. All right, you guys have a great time. I can't wait to see all the pics. Thanks for coming on the podcast today. Thank you for having us. Always. Thank you.