Prom Nightmare: Space Restrictions Leave Stockton Students Out Of Dance
STOCKTON (CBS13) — Prom night turns into a nightmare for some Stockton seniors after Bear Creek High School in the Lodi Unified School District runs out of tickets for next Saturday's event.
Some say it's a result of bad planning, while the school says it wasn't prepared for a record number of prom attendees.
"This is the biggest night of my senior year," said Bear Creek High senior Courtney Stevens.
Like the beads on her dress and shoes, Stevens had every prom detail perfectly planned out.
"We only get to do that one time."
It's a night she's dreamed of since she was a little girl, but when she tried to buy tickets Thursday, she found out her senior prom sold out.
"It's unfair. Never in my life have I heard of prom running out of tickets," said Stevens.
School officials agree it's a first.
Bear Creek High Principal Hillary Harrell said, "To be honest, I don't know if we've ever had this much demand for prom before."
Although more than 1,000 juniors and seniors and their guests could potentially show up to prom each year, Harrell says in the past about 500 people have attended, and that's all this year's venue can hold, but more than 500 people want tickets.
"Now I cant go to prom," said Stevens.
With pending hair, makeup and nail appointments, Stevens had to put her name on a prom wait list, along with 30 other heartbroken students. She was also told bringing her guest would now be out of the question.
"Probably one of the hardest experiences I had today as a principal was having students coming up to me crying," said Harrell.
Stevens' mom is just as devastated.
"She deserves to go, and she deserves to have her best friend with her," said Dawn Cochran.
A highlight of high school, prom night for some could now be ruined by what some say is poor planning.
"I just don't want to miss out on the one thing I was looking forward to."
The school was able to get the venue to allow 50 extra guests, so officials say Stevens and her guest, along with the others on the wait list will be able to attend prom, but anyone else may be out of luck at this point.