Niles West hosted its annual Queer Prom, this year’s theme being “Night of Noise,” on April 12, the same day as the National Day of Silence. The National Day of Silence is where people all around the country go the entire day without speaking to raise awareness for LGBTQ+ bullying and harassment. They decided to hold Queer Prom on this date to “break,” the day of silence and enter the night of noise. Queer Prom was started in 2022 as a way for queer students to have a safe space at a school dance, so they all have the space to feel seen and heard around their peers.

The organization of this event included a Drag show, a DJ, a food truck and decorations, along with a good time and a fun dance. Night of Noise was made possible by the GSA club, president senior Drew Rajlic at Niles West and Activities Director Caitlin Lucci. Lucci explained how planning the event went.

“It was incredible… I first checked in with GSA and they gave me guidance on helping to plan the event. Next time when it’s West’s turn to host the event, I would like to have a planning committee of students that is a little bit more involved, but because this is my first year, we did the best we could,” Lucci said.

Some students believe queer prom an important space for queer people because it gives them a sense of belonging for those who may not feel included or accepted at a traditional prom. It gives these students a way to express themselves and be their authentic selves. According to the organizers, the mission of queer prom at West is to give a safe space for students who might not always have the opportunity to be in these queer spaces.

“It’s important to have queer prom at our school, and really at every school, is to give people a space where they [students] can be out and proud about who they are without having a fear of representing themselves… My favorite part of the event was definitely the drag performances. They all did amazing and it was so fun watching them,” said Rajlic.

Overall, the Night of Noise dance was a fun way to get everyone together and have a good night filled with dancing and music. It gives students, queer or not, a fun time with their peers and even teachers.

“I went in not expecting a lot, but it was a fun experience and I’m glad I went especially because it is my last year at Niles West,” senior Zebedeo Zielinski said.