Their school year cut short by a pandemic, Callaway County's teens were ready for some fun.
More than 70 juniors and seniors from schools in Fulton, New Bloomfield, North Callaway and South Callaway came together to hit the dance floor Friday night at 54 Country during the first county-wide prom.
Organized by parents and community members who didn't want the youth to miss out on a much-loved high school tradition, the theme of the event was "Essential."
"We had the input of some high school students, but for the most part, we wanted them to just come enjoy it," organizer Nancy Hanson said.
The event was a success - teens got to show off prom outfits bought before their original proms were canceled. They also had the chance to mingle with peers who went to other local high schools.
Planning the event was also a chance for parents from across the county to bond.
"I think it definitely brought some new friendships," Hanson said.
Despite the strange state of the world, the event didn't look all that different from a traditional prom - teens dressed in their best clothes trickled on and off the dance floor for popular songs like "Cupid Shuffle," "Footloose" and "Wobble" while parent chaperones looked on.
There were also prom royalty. As each attendee entered the event, they placed their names in a glass jar. At 11 p.m., those jars were carried to the front of the room, and names were pulled at random to fill the positions.
Hannah Huntsman, of New Bloomfield, and Ian Waggoner, of Fulton, both of the Class of 2020, were crowned queen and king.