The Associated Student Body [ASB] plans on hosting a stag dance — the first and last one of the school year — on May 20 from 7-10 p.m. in the gym, marking the school’s first stag event since March 6, 2019.

“This dance is always a big celebration because it’s a good marker to know the year is almost over,” ASB co-adviser David Fenstermaker said. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate the end of the school year.”

An ASB-produced skit released the theme after being broadcasted on the jumbotron in the quad on May 6; the Lights Out theme encourages students to wear neon, bright-colored clothing to the event.

Stag tickets are available to students of all grade levels on the Sunny Hills webstore, selling for $15 with a Gold card and $20 without.

Because COVID-19 restrictions previously moved the ASB to cancel stag in the past two years, a multitude of students have never experienced the dance before.

“[The ASB is] going to try to do some cool effects and try to bring in some outdoor things like video games, but it’s a little bit more relaxed,” Fenstermaker said. “Homecoming had 1,200 people, so if we get anywhere like that, it’ll be great,”

Because of updated health and safety guidelines by Orange County, the May 20 stag dance will once again be allowed indoors, contrary to the October 2021 homecoming dance, Fenstermaker said. 

“Since the mask mandate has been lifted, [the ASB] thought that an indoor stag would be appropriate for the theme and more fun for students, so we suggested it to administration, and they allowed it,” ASB social commissioner senior Micah Desai said. “It’ll be a nice event for everyone to come in and have fun.”

According to the ASB Instagram account @sunnyhills.asb, guest passes are allowed just like at prom, meaning that students from other schools are invited to attend as well. 

“It’s crazy that half the school doesn’t know what a stag dance is,” Desai said. “This dance will be really important to a lot of students because it’s the first one we’ve had in two years, and I think that this one will be popular because of that.”