Throughout the school year, Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Prom Committee hosts a multitude of fundraising events to raise money for Prom, which this year is to be held on May 13. On Feb. 10, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, the committee organized “Melting For You,” an event where students were able to purchase scented candles to customize with hidden messages. The fundraiser was held at the Rally Court after school as a prelude to the “Love is in the Air” events hosted the following Tuesday.

Prior to the event, members of the fundraising branch of the committee prepared the supplies. Among the materials needed were beads for students to write the messages with, bags of wax to cover the messages, and handmade pink wax hearts that were placed on top. Sophomore Prom Committee member Nathaniel Loo recalled the process of curating the supplies. 

“The committee heads bought the supplies on Amazon and we all got together to make them,” said Loo. “Pretty much everything was handmade so we could control exactly how the candle was assembled.”

Leading up to the event, Prom Committee members sold the candles for $5 each. On the day of the event, students who had purchased a candle were able to assemble their candles by following a series of stations throughout the Rally Court. Candle scents were offered in eucalyptus, lavender, and vanilla, and students used a wide variety of beads with different symbols, letters, and colors to customize their hidden messages on the wax.

The candles were then covered in wax in their respective scents to hide the message. Sophomore Prom Committee member Carmen Bermejo reminisced on working at the wax booth. 

“We melted the scented wax on stovetops and then we poured it just over the beaded messages to cover them,” said Bermejo. “Then they were able to arrange the beads around again for a few minutes with plastic forks before the wax dried.”

Students then waited a few minutes before they were able to decorate their candle with the pink wax hearts—a cute, clean finish.

“I really loved this fundraiser,” said sophomore Divannee Flores. “I had a eucalyptus candle that smelled really good, and it turned out so cute in the end.”

“I thought ‘Melting For You’ was a very fun event and it was unique from the other fundraisers that Arcadia has,” said sophomore Justin Chiang.

Look out for the Prom location announcement at the Spring Pep Assembly on Mar. 10!

Photo courtesy of AHS Prom Committee