On Saturday, February 22, Prep students geared up for one of the biggest social events of the school year: Charity Ball. Put on by the student council, Charity Ball is a semi-new tradition originating in 2022.

Though officially named “Winter Charity Ball,” it is commonly referred to by many students as Winter Formal or “Winfo.” Charity Ball means that all proceeds go to the school’s community partner for the year. This year, all proceeds are donated to We Will Go, a nonprofit organization supporting citizens of the greater Jackson area. Because the student council wants to maximize the profit so there is more to donate to We Will Go, the dance is held in the Prep gymnasium. Because the gym floor has been recently renovated, tennis shoes are required in order to preserve the new flooring. This is a unique twist that differentiates Prep’s Charity Ball from other dances, whether they be at Prep or another school. Another unique aspect compared to Homecoming and Prom is that the dance is “girls ask guys.”

The dancef was originally scheduled for January 18, but was moved to the end of February as a result of scheduling conflicts. This is pretty late in the game, however, it did give students something to look forward to throughout the winter months. This also gave students more time to plan before and after activities.