PROM THROUGH THE DECADES

By: Ava Lenze & Abi Lenze 

The word “prom” comes from the French word “promenade,” meaning “to take a leisurely walk,” and is often used in ballet to refer to the slow rotation of a dancer during a partnered dance. At American high schools, prom is a dance during students’ junior or senior year of high school where they dress up, take pictures, and spend the night dancing before their final exams; but prom didn’t always look how it does now. From dresses to traditions, prom has changed over the decades. 

The concept of prom dates back to ancient Greece, where elite men participated in banquets known as “symposia” to celebrate their transition into adulthood. A similar idea of a coming-of-age ceremony was popular in England during the 18th century, known as debutante balls. There were also cotillons in North America at the same time, which focused largely on dresses and dancing. The idea of celebrating the transition into adulthood quickly spread through America. In the late 19th century, Ivy League colleges such as Harvard held “promenade concerts” where attendees listened to live classical music while walking or dancing, often while in formal attire. These past celebrations largely inspired the prom we know today– formal, social gatherings to celebrate your last years of high school. Though it is not known who held the first prom, the tradition can be seen as far back as the 1950’s at Southeast.

Linda Dillon, current substitute and former student at Southeast High School, graduated from Southeast in 1976. Though she did not attend prom herself, she has many experiences with the dance through friends’ stories and her children’s experiences, and has seen how trends have changed over time. Prom used to take place at the school and was more of a formal event than it is now, with tailored suits, elegant, modest attire, and ballroom-style dancing. Students today may go out and spend close to $300 on their dress, if not more, while students then would be spending around $60 or making their own gowns. Today, students often rent nice cars or limos to drive on prom night, but many used to take tractors or their restored cars. While the idea of prom has stayed the same, many of the finer details have changed dramatically.

Today, prom has gained traction through teen movies, promposals, and social media. While the idea of prom and the traditions around it have stayed relatively the same, the biggest changes come in dress and style. Many girls spend hours finding the perfect dress, getting their hair and nails done, and finding an ideal spot to take pictures. Many guys have switched from full suits to vests and button-downs that match their date’s color scheme. Prom dresses have evolved from conservative, tea-length skirts to longer, more dramatic gowns featuring sequins, sparkles, intricate designs, and cutouts that showcase individual style. In 2026, popular styles include corset tops, high slits, drop waists, and sleeveless dresses matched with bright colors, lace, or beading. Location has also changed, with many schools renting out larger spaces to host the event. At Southeast, we started having it at Saint Nicholas Orthodox church or on the Gateway Clipper Fleet in Pittsburgh..

Prom through the decades shows how much styles, music, and traditions have changed over time while highlighting what has stayed the same. From classical, elegant dances of the past to today’s modern themes and trends, prom has always been a night for students to celebrate, express themselves, and create lasting memories. Each decade brings its own unique influence, shaping everything from fashion to music, yet the excitement and meaning behind the event remain constant. Prom has continued to be an influential part of the high school experience in America.

SPEED KILLS

By: Caden Dillon & Tyler Shaw

The weather is not the only thing that is heating up this spring; the Southeast boys’ track team performances are igniting as well. The boys exploded into the season with a quad meet at Garfield with Garfield, Western Reserve and Waterloo on March 30th. The boys came in a close second place at the meet with first place finishes in multiple events, from jumping, to sprinting, and even distance running. The Pirates first excelled in jumping as freshman Chase Neely broke his own personal record in the high jump event at 5’8’’. In the long jump, freshman Vincer Kelly led the way for the Pirates with a leaping jump of 17’4’’. Another area of the meet the Pirates excelled in was the 100m dash and the 4×100 relay. Peyton Donovan, a senior at Southeast, led the way for the Pirates with a 11.8 second 100m. The Pirates 4x100m relay team consisting of Kelly, sophomore Tyler Shaw, junior Nathaniel Rivera, and Donovan are close to breaking records running a time of 46.6 seconds in their event. Another event that the Pirates could break records in this season is in the 400m dash with freshman Logan Blankenship, who had an outstanding event running a time 54.7 seconds. The last event the Pirates won at Garfield was the 4×800 relay with Sophomore Micah Craver leading the way with a time of 2:16 followed by freshman Noah Croston, sophomore Jacob Schaffner, and senior Devon Channell.  

Currently, the boys are mid season after having taken 8th place at the Pymatuning Valley Invitational on April 18th, and hopefully can continue to create success during the home stretch. The boys have one invitational left as well as to compete in their championship league meet where they hope to clinch a title. Good luck to the boys for the rest of their season. 

ON THE TRACK TO SUCCESS

By: Bradley Dillon & Alaunté Massrock

Spring has arrived, and with that, track is also here. Track is one of Southeast’s primary sports with the girls’ team having many of our school’s best athletes. “We have a lot of new talent coming in from the freshman class, keeping the legacy of our program alive and keeping us as a threat to opposing teams,” said Youngstown State commit Julia Wheeler. Wheeler, who has been running her whole life, has proven to be an elite athlete on the oval. She punched a ticket to state last season in the 3,200 meter race, and finished 5th with a time of 11:05.17. She’s been a significant part of the girls’ rise to success in recent years.

Another athlete, who has been a great addition to the squad in the last few years, is junior Leila Evans. She’s been exceptional at the high jump winning the MVAC last year as a sophomore. “My goal is to make it to the state meet this year, and as a team I want to win the MVAC after a close second place finish last year” stated Evans. 

The girls had their 3rd meet of the season on April 18th at Pymatuning Valley, and they took first place. The 4×4 team won first place with a team consisting of juniors Jenna Canale and Evans, sophomore Grace Wheeler, and freshman Vayda Stelzer. Southeast also captured first in high jump with Evans jumping 5’2. The Lady Pirates are cruising through this season with some incredible performances. 

The girls’ next meet is April 23rd at Western Reserve. Good luck ladies!

CATCHING MORE THAN WINS

By: Garret Davis & Isabelle Goodnite

“Baseball is fun because spring has arrived, and when the sun shines it is fun to be outside playing with your buddies” commented head baseball coach, Matt Dillon. The Southeast boys’ baseball team is starting off the 2026 season with varsity 6-1 and junior varsity 3-2. The boys have been working hard this season to improve their batting fundamentals in order to have consistent at bats. M. Dillon is starting off his first season with the boys as the new head coach. The boys coaches consist of; M. Dillon (head coach), Nick Dillon (pitching coach), Thomas Sharish (pitching & 3rd base coach), Zedekiah Pollock (outfield coach), and Michael Richardson (head JV coach and assistant varsity coach). The varsity team this year consists of; Alaunté Massrock (#1), Bradley Dillon (#12), Braedyn Walden (#4), Caden Dillon (#6), Daniel Clint (#44), Nathan Muccino (#8), Cohen Richardson (#3), Joe Sharish (#24), Devyn Miller (#20), Maverick Wood (#2), and Garret Davis (#45).

The boys baseball team has 11 varsity players that play different positions. Commanding the pitcher’s mound are Massrock and Sharish (C.Dillon, Richardson, Miller and Muccino). Covering first base is Clint. Second base is covered by C.Dillon (Davis, Sharish). At third base is Muccino (Sharish). Playing short stop is Richardson (C. Dillon). Walden is playing center field. The left field is covered by Massrock (Miller), and the right field is covered by Wood (Miller). Catching is B. Dillon (Wood). 

A key game for the varsity Pirates took place on Wednesday, April 15th leading to Crestview’s defeat with Southeast scoring 7-1. The game’s standout performers included Richardson, Walden, Wood, and C. Dillon. Richardson finished 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, and two runs scored. Walden also contributed significantly, going 2-for-4 with a single, a double, and two runs of his own. Meanwhile, Wood went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and two RBIs. Not only did the Pirates do well at the plate, their defense was led by pitcher C. Dillon, who pitched 6 innings and struck out 10 batters only allowing 3 hits.

Coming off a strong 2025 season, the baseball team is aiming to cap their 2026 campaign with an MVAC championship. Currently, they remain undefeated in their league meets. Good luck, Pirates!

SHS SPOTLIGHT

By: Cali McPeak & Leila Evans

Southeast prides itself on building and maintaining an inclusive culture. Having a safe environment allows both students and teachers to experience less stress, reduced anxiety, and higher job satisfaction. This leads to fewer disciplinary problems and more cooperative student behavior. 

Adam Jenkins is one of our history teachers here at Southeast. One of his highlights during his time at Southeast was last year when almost all of his sophomores passed the American history state test. Jenkins not only is a great teacher, but he also contributed to the football program, as a coach, for ten years. His favorite memory was in 2016 when our football team played West Branch for their Hall of Fame induction night, and we won 20-0. Anyone who walks into his classroom can tell that Jenkins loves nature, but what students don’t know is that Jenkins also enjoys hiking in old growth forests, back country camping, and backpacking. He also loves reading historical nonfiction books-which aligns perfectly with his career. If you see him around the school, don’t be shy and say hello!

Isla Zinz, a junior at Southeast, is involved in track, tennis, Leo club, science club, link crew, National Honor Society, and additionally 4H. Zinz makes sure to put maximum effort into everything she works on. Zinz embraces challenges, learns from mistakes, and accepts feedback for improvement. Zinz is grateful for a reliable support system that helps to encourage her to develop skills that are valuable for both her career and personal life. Zinz says “My family, teachers, and coaches have all influenced me in positive ways as I have grown into the person I am today.” Zinz is genuinely motivated to understand how things work. She shows grit and resilience when facing difficult academics or personal problems.

At the end of the day, what makes Southeast special is our people. We have staff who care deeply and show up for students every single day. Our students lead with heart, kindness, and a drive to make things better. We’re proud to call Southeast home because of the amazing community we’ve built.

MORE THAN WORDS: WHAT FOUR OUT OF FIVE STUDENTS ARE MISSING

By Emma Wood & Alexis Crum

If you had to guess how many students in our school read regularly for entertainment, what would you say? Maybe you would assume it is a quarter of the students here, maybe a third? Maybe if you are gracious enough you might even assume half? 

According to a classroom survey of 180 students throughout all grades and class levels, only 37 of them said that they read frequently. That means that out of five students, four of them do not read.

Now, at first glance, this might not seem like a surprising statistic, especially when you imagine a student’s life: they wake up, stretch, brush their teeth, get dressed, grab their bag and somehow get to school. When they arrive, they go to class and grumble about every assignment or book club assigned. Class ends, and they decide to meander through the halls to their next. After eight periods of the same thing over and over again, they get to leave. Either they go home and scroll on their phone and play games, or they stay after school for sports and rehearsals. After all of that, they go to bed, and it all repeats the next day. Maybe they will see their significant other during that time, maybe they go out with friends, but regardless, every single day they go through the same mundane tasks. 

At the end of the day, there is one undeniable truth of High School: students are busy. Between school, extracurriculars, jobs, social lives, and more, free time is very limited. When it does appear, many turn to their phones to scroll and relax rather than cracking open a book. 

Historically, reading has always been disliked by the younger generation. If it wasn’t phones taking away from it, it was running outside doing crazy stunts. If it wasn’t that, it was all the farmwork they would have to do to provide for their family. It makes sense why reading is not everyone’s favorite form of entertainment– who wants to sit in silence and stare at words?

However, books have come a long way from the classical literature your teacher makes you read. Romeo and Juliet is dramatic, Russian literature is filled with death, and epic sonnets and poems use Old English in every line. However, if you read a modern-day book, it doesn’t have that same air. You can read for entertainment and not have your mind trying to explode from thousands of words you have never even heard of. 

Students who don’t read miss the opportunity to enter a world of fantasy where the protagonist brandishes her sword during battle with a force that seems powerful enough to cut through the pages under your fingertips; her feelings of courage mixed with struggle and fear, much like those of your own battles. 

Or maybe it is a cute romance novel, where you kick your feet in tandem with the butterflies erupting in your stomach. Where you scream at every sentence uttered by the love interest, or jump up and down at every sly smirk and joke. 

Maybe it is a realistic fiction novel, where every threat hits home, and every insult makes you reevaluate yourself. It could be sad, the words breaking you from the inside out while showing you details of your own life that you have become blind to. Maybe it proves that you are worthy of everything you have shut down before, and through these characters, you can learn who you are. 

So, I ask this, try one book for fun. Try to read something interesting, something to take your mind off of everything else happening around you. Even if you are super busy, set up a book while you brush your teeth, wake up a little earlier to read a bit in the morning, or maybe sift through a few pages before your practice begins. 

You might fall in love. 

Below I listed a few books to try out for each genre. 

Have fun reading, and may it take you to a place that can become your home, and may you learn lessons you otherwise wouldn’t be able to learn.

MEET OUR CREW

Writers:

Abi Lenze, Ava Lenze, Cali McPeak, Alexis Crum, Emma Wood, Isabelle Goodnite, Bradley Dillon, Caden Dillon, Tyler Shaw, Garret Davis, Alaunte Massrock

Editors:

Kristen Dillon, Abi Lenze, Jocelyn Nowak, Mrs. Dillon