The Girl’s Gala has been a staple tradition at BHA since 2016. It is an extravagant event that aims to gather girls from middle and high school for a fun night of food, dancing, and community. The 2025 Girl’s Gala was hosted in the school’s gym, with the reduced price of $75, enticing many girls to enjoy a fun night amid exam season. It was a wonderful chance for friends to gather for a few hours to enjoy each other’s company, and to temporarily forget about the many exams looming in their peripheral.
Many weeks of preparation went into this year’s Gala. Firstly, the senior girls had to present their ideas to Ms. Sanaa. “Honestly, the seniors chose the theme this year, which is ‘enchanted garden’, but they left [the rest] to me!” she says, when asked about this year’s inspiration. “So, I bought these flowers, these lights, to make it, you know, simple, but cute.” The entire gym had to be converted to a beautiful and enchanting garden, to fit this year’s theme, to take the guests into a whole new world. The gym was transformed into an ethereal space, with flower decorations, a beautiful stage, and dance floor, completed by a tempting spread of food and confectionery treats. And, not only was the preparation for the school’s staff. The guests also had to curate their perfect outfit and makeup routines to take advantage of the girls-only event. As said by Senior Hania Hashimi, “I’m not going to lie, [my outfit took] maybe like, two weeks! Not like consecutive hours, but I was searching for a dress for so long, and that’s just how online shopping is, really.”
With the addition of the new in-house kitchen in the school, the Gala this year has an exciting twist. “We’ve never done it on the big stage [until this year]” explains Ms. Sanaa, on the special additions to the Gala this year. “…all the food was 100% fully cooked in house …alhamdulillah, it turned out very beautiful.” This addition greatly reduced the costs of the Gala, and allowed for more money to be saved for the senior Umrah trip, which occurred during December of last year. The food included pasta, chicken, breadsticks, salads, and roasted vegetables, a delicious selection for everyone’s tastes. Dessert was a variety of mini creations, ranging from cheesecake to chocolate mousse. Sophomore Fatimah Khan stated that “…it was really delicious. It was obvious that they…put a lot of hard work into the food, and I really enjoyed the many types of dinner and dessert. It was so cool to be able to share this meal with my friends.” It’s very apparent that the girls attending appreciated the work and effort Ms. Sanaa, the senior girls, and the rest of the help crew put into the Gala.
Because this was a girls-only event, cell phone usage was prohibited to protect each girl’s privacy. Female security guards dotted the event, making sure that photos were limited to the photo area and that nobody was accidentally caught in an unwanted picture. “It felt really safe,” remarked sophomore Eman Hayee. “I wasn’t scared about anyone accidentally taking a photo, and it was a really great reminder that we really…don’t need our phones for these types of events. I think we should try to live in the moment more often.” While some were annoyed at the no cell phone rule, it certainly helped with the girl’s privacy, and provided a unique angle to our modern day world- the inability of many to enjoy an event without using their phones.
The decision to have the Gala in the school’s gym this year was definitely a big one. Though it is usually at a rented hall or venue, for the past two years it has been at the gym, which comes with many benefits. Girls can enjoy the event without having to worry about cameras or security guards, which gives the event a more homey and cozy feel. Also, it slashed costs, allowing more to be put towards decorations, food, and senior trips. Because food was made in house, it also reduced costs, which allowed for even more money to go to the original cause of the gala. The familiar environment also served as ease to the parents, assuring them that their children are safe at this event, because it takes place at school. The private and safe campus allowed for the event to be a success and for the attendees to be excited for next year’s Gala.
Since this year’s rising seniors are in charge of planning the Gala next year, what sort of ideas do they have? “Well, we definitely want to have at least 10-15 choreographed dances, instead of just 4.” Says current Junior Zaynah Mehdi. “I just think it was too short this year.” The four choreographed dances this year celebrated Arab, Desi, and American culture, showing the cultural convergence of all of us in our Muslim-American identities. “Yea, I agree,” states Junior Lama Zalloum, “and I think it would improve if we had more input on the food, dessert, and music choices.”
The Gala is an honored tradition at BHA, and, with the help of a few exciting twists this year, it was definitely a night to remember. “Seeing everyone’s dresses was amazing,” said Freshman Hanna Ali, “I thought it looked really nice, with the enchanted garden theme…the flowers, the décor, everything was really great.”
