Editing Prom (section)

===Oceania===
{{refimprove section|date=June 2023}}
In Australia and New Zealand, the event may often be described as a Ball, '''School Formal''', or simply ''Formal''. If the event is in the final year of high school (Year 12 for Australia, Year 13 for New Zealand), it is sometimes called a Dinner-dance, Leavers' Dinner or Debutante Ball but is also commonly called a School Formal or "Formal."  In Australia, some schools may also have a Valedictory Dinner, which is like the formal but has students, parents, and teachers instead of students and dates. Some Australian schools also have a ''Semi-formal'' for year 11 (16-17) students.

As the name suggests, attire for the occasion is generally formal.<ref name="Reuters 2006-07-21">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2020-04-14/online-prom-photoshop |title=21 Century Gentleman's Guru Suits and Tuxedos |publisher=[[Times Newspapers]] |date=2017-05-30 |page=B14 |access-date=2020-07-12 |quote=senior guys indulge themselves with prom suits }}</ref> Boys will usually dress in a [[suit (clothing)|suit]] and [[neckties|tie]]. Girls traditionally wear formal [[gown]]s or [[Dress (garment)|dress]]es. In most cases a school formal is held at a local reception center or [[ballroom]]. A [[multicourse meal]] is generally provided.  After the meal students generally [[dance]] to popular music played by a hired [[DJ]] or sometimes a band. Many students group together to go to the formal in a [[limousine]]. While parents do not attend a formal, teachers may act as [[Chaperone (social)|chaperones]] for the formal and [[security guard]]s are sometimes hired. The use of chaperones is intended to prevent the occurrence of [[violence]] and alcohol or drug use. Generally, after a formal, one or more after-parties are held.

In addition to the high school graduation "formal" that marks the end of Year 12, in [[New South Wales]], Australia, there is also an event that is sometimes held to celebrate completing the [[School Certificate (New South Wales)|School Certificate]] at the end of Year 10, and always held after receiving [[Higher School Certificate (New South Wales)|Higher School Certificate]] at the end of Year 12 and includes a dinner and dance. The NSW Government announced the abolition of the School Certificate after 2011, with students in year 10 that year being the final cohort to sit the external examinations and receive the qualification. Subsequent Year 10 "Formals" have been deemed "unnecessary" due to the fact that the majority of Year 10 students now progress to Year 11. In previous years when 25–30% of students left high school in Year 10, the Formal was seen as a celebration for those departing, however, Year 10 Formals are still sometimes celebrated in the name of tradition. In year 11, students occasionally organize a "semi-formal" or "social" at the end of the school year, which is a more casual version of a [[School formal|formal]]. If a school has a sister school the social is typically organized in conjunction with them, as a "social event" for people to mingle and meet new people. The Valedictory Dinner (or Val as it is colloquially called) is an event that only occurs in Year 12. In New Zealand, most state school balls are held in the winter months, between June and August, while in Australia, a "formal" is held at the end of the year to mark the end of schooling, as is the Valedictory Dinner.

In American Samoa, the typical Junior/Senior prom is held in most of the schools, an exception would be one of the private schools, which lets even 8th graders, freshmen, and sophomores participate in prom.