On the cool night of April 11, 2026, Buena’s annual prom took place at the grand Majestic Ventura Theater. The doors to the venue did not open until 8 p.m., and the lines quickly thickened against the night sky.
As soon as crowds were let in, the festivities kicked off. Following the theme of “the 2000s at sunset”, the on-theme decorations included CDs that had been strung on thread. Friendship bracelet making stations were also available, as well as temporary tattoos, bringing the prom-goers back to the vibe of the 2000s.
One feature that many students spoke highly about was the upstairs area above the entrance, which served as a quiet place away from the music and dancing, even having seating around the calming area.
“[I like] that [there was] a space where you [could] go and take a break from the music, [especially] when it gets really hot and sweaty and loud,” senior Sydney Pike said. “Having a safe space is really nice for people who want to get away from it. I think prom can be kind of overwhelming for people, so having a place you can actually talk and socialize is really helping everyone’s moods.”
The large mirror in front of the staircase served as an excellent photobackdrop, with many choosing to take pictures there alongside the photo booth. Whether it was more polished photographs taken by yearbook adviser Emmet Cullen or casual selfies with friends, the night was not left uncaptured.
From classics like ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” to newer songs such as Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda,” the sick beats encouraged Buena’s student body to “boogie down.”
Not only was the DJ playing great tunes, but so was the live band. Buena seniors Alyssa Angeles and Lukas Raducanu, along with junior Silas Gomes who have formed their own band, were invited by ASB to perform at prom. Previously, live music had never occurred at Buena proms.
The trio started rehearsing five weeks prior to the dance with practices occurring every day. The band performed a unique but smashing set list of “Island in the Sun” by Weezer, “My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit, “Santeria”
by Sublime, “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer, “Someday” by The Strokes and finished up the performance with “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana.
The band, calling themselves Blush, could not predict that simply posting a highlight of various times they’d played on Instagram could get them to play at their very own prom.
“It’s very surreal,” Angeles said. “The reason I post stuff on Instagram is for this very reason, so I’m very thankful that the right person got to see it.”
After Blush came off stage, much to the cheers and applause of their classmates, prom royalty was announced. Junior, senior and unified royalty were announced, with Marcos Hoil and Nickolas Leaskas announced for unified royalty, Micah Brookes and Kenna Wilson selected for junior royalty and seniors Vincent Sandoval and Nayeli Garcia being chosen for the top spot of prom queen and king.
“I was so excited, and it meant a lot that people voted for me because I went from being a new girl in school to getting to know a lot of people and making so many new friends,” Garcia said.
As the night wrapped up and students started to filter out, the memories remained fresh in the minds of many.
“I think the best part of prom is the friends that you go with. You have the most fun with people you enjoy,” Pike said.
