For the first time in the history of Hingham High School, the senior class will have entirely free prom tickets.

Senior Class President Billy Johnston posted the exciting news to the class’s Facebook group on March 31st. The post received 48 thumbs ups and 18 hearts from his classmates. Billy explained how the Class of 2019 made free prom tickets a reality, describing, “Over the four years we were lucky to have some big fundraisers early on such as Chipotle Nights and homecoming. This year, the Holiday Fair got us $12,000.”

Instead of purchasing tickets at lunch like in past years, students will have the opportunity to donate to two causes when they get their tickets at lunch this year. One bucket will be for donations to NephCure, an organization that aims to find a cure for kidney disease all around the world. This is a sentimental organization to those at Hingham High School as Andrew Warhaftig, a loved member of the Class of 2019, passed away from kidney disease last year. The other bucket will be for the Hingham Middle School French and Spanish teacher Allison Clark who is currently battling severe head and neck cancer. Billy Johnston spoke, “Although we are financially successful, that doesn’t keep us from being successful in other ways like helping people who need our help.”

In past years, prom tickets have costed around $85. For seniors, the fact that students have the chance to put this money toward NephCure or Ms. Clarke’s GoFundMe instead is very exciting. It is also a relief for some who have already spent more than they had hoped on prom dresses or tuxedos, as senior Louis Soultz pointed out. Senior Abby Esco said that the achievement of class-financed prom tickets is “very impressive” and shows the class has been “working hard.”

Ultimately, free prom tickets for the Class of 2019 represents the graduating class’s effort to unite themselves so that all members can enjoy their final days of high school.