Sitting in front of a sea of peers dressed in flowing gowns and perfectly-tailored suits, the eight members of the senior prom court wait patiently to see who will represent their grade as Prom King and Queen. 

On May 3, seniors attended prom at the Hilton DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield, Mo., where they celebrated their last large-scale grade-level event before graduation on May 17. Each year, seniors have the opportunity to nominate their classmates to this court. 

Prom King: senior Jack Mullen 

Senior Jack Mullen was one of four male court members nominated by his peers. 

“I didn’t campaign or ask to be nominated, so it’s cool that people thought of me. I like to think I represent a sort of energy for our grade and for West; it’s cool that people agreed with that,” Mullen said. 

Mullen is involved in different extracurricular activities, including the choir and theater programs. Even on the morning of prom, Mullen was participating in one of his many extracurricular activities. 

“I was in Columbia, Mo. for [a choir event] until 3 p.m., and I drove all the way to Forest Park for pictures,” Mullen said. “I was getting ready in the back of my grandma’s car. [I kept telling myself to] breathe, have fun and enjoy my last prom.”

Mullen was nominated to the junior prom court last year and has previously been nominated to spirit court during homecoming week. However, his role on the senior prom court provided a different experience.  

“[This year] there was a sense of closure. I really do try to represent the fun and spirit we have at West, and to be recognized for that, especially next to [senior] Emily Kate [Beach], was fun,” Mullen said. 

Prom Queen: senior Emily Kate Beach

Senior Emily Kate Beach was crowned the 2025 Prom Queen after accepting her first prom court nomination. 

“Someone said they had nominated me, so I wasn’t that surprised. I was with my family, and I got an email from [Athletic Director Jeff] Taggart. Going into prom night, I was excited because I knew I was [going to] be able to make some good memories with my friends, and it was the last big thing with my friends and [different] people from school before graduation,” Beach said. 

Despite this, Beach was unsure what to expect in terms of her place on the court on prom night. 

“I was surprised [that I won]. [Principal John] McCabe leaned over me before [math teacher Patrick] Mooney said the name, and that felt crazy. I was super happy that [Mullen] won, [and] it was fun that we got to do it together,” Beach said. 

Winning alongside a friend was just as important to Beach as winning, especially to end her senior year. Some seniors have spent the majority of their lives together, so while preparing to part ways, being able to connect through prom was significant.

“My favorite part was doing it with [Mullen]. When we were walking out, [senior] Archie [Arnold] was scared, and [Mullen] was making us laugh. [Winning] was just really sweet. It does feel a little surreal, and it feels like a nice way to wrap up senior year. [It was] a good memory,” Beach said.