Prom is a formal dance party for high school students held towards the end of the school year. It is a highly anticipated and exciting social event for high school juniors and seniors. Proms are usually offered in semi-formal black tie or informal suit for boys, and evening gowns for girls. The word "prom" is short for promenade dance, which means to walk around in a formal and showy way.

Proms have a rich history dating back to the 19th century when they were first held for the graduating classes of colleges and universities. In the early 20th century, prom was a simple tea dance where high school seniors wore their Sunday best. In the 1920s and 1930s, prom expanded into an annual class banquet where students wore party clothes and danced afterward. As Americans gained more money and leisure time in the 1950s, proms became more extravagant and elaborate, bearing similarity to todays proms.

Prom activities vary across the United States, but most traditions involve dates, prom dresses, tuxedos, dinner, and dancing. Prom is usually the last dance of a seniors high school career and is considered a major rite of passage for teens. Some high schools allow only the graduating class (seniors) to have a prom, while others also allow grade 11 (juniors) to have a prom, and in some cases, there is a combined junior/senior prom.

Preparing for prom can be a big (and often expensive) deal for many young people and their parents. It involves dress shopping, booking hair and manicure appointments, getting fitted for a tuxedo, buying the perfect corsage, and more. Nowadays, young people from all walks of life get to attend prom, and the event allows them to get together as a class, have fun, and celebrate their accomplishments.