On Friday May 13th, after two weeks of tedious AP testing, many high school students in the area dressed up and headed over to The Great Gatsby Gala, a fun and free social gathering hosted by the Santa Clara City Library Teen Council. The theme of the gala was based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel The Great Gatsby, which is set in the prosperous Roaring Twenties. Students were encouraged to wear clothing that matched this time period for a chance to win a fifty dollar Amazon gift card at a judged fashion contest at the end of the night.
Within the confines of the Redwood Room in the Santa Clara Library were various games of chance such as roulette, blackjack, and poker to test out your luck. In the background, The Great Gatsby movie played, accompanied by lively music. Tables were decked with a black and gold color scheme, and the entire room seemed to twinkle from the string of lights lining the walls. Partygoers were warmly welcomed by a library staff and twenty playing chips to use for the games. These chips could be used to place bets on games and were later converted into raffle tickets for prizes provided by the library. On one side of the room, a spread of sandwiches, desserts, and drinks were available for those who got hungry amidst their playing. A photo booth with props and a backdrop were also available for those who wanted to document their night for social media. “I think the class of the thing was pretty breathtaking, considering it was a free event,” said Brandon Tran. “The event was overwhelmingly dazzling, what with the beautiful food displays and table fixtures.”
Friday the thirteenth was anything but unlucky for local teens who attended the gala. I won many chips playing blackjack, a strategic card game. The dealer offered a tutorial on how to play for beginners, so beginners were accepted and had as much fun as those familiar with the game. Dean Yuan spent most of his time playing poker and “stealing chips from his friends.” Samia Abbasi’s favorite game was purely based on chance; the roulette table. The players take bets on where the ball will land in the roulette, based on color or number. “I liked the unpredictable yet thrilling aspect of it and that rush of anticipation while it spins and determines your fate,” said Abbasi. My friends and I spent most of our time at the roulette table because of its simplicity. In the corner, a Great Gatsby Trivia game was set up, where players could win candy for answering questions correctly about The Great Gatsby. Later on, participants traded in the chips that they won for tickets to put in the raffle for gift card prizes. An award was also given to the participant with the most chips.

At the end of the night, students waited in anticipation as each raffle winner was announced. The library also raffled an iPad air at the door so everyone had an even chance at winning. I put most of my tickets into an iTunes gift card, but unfortunately went home empty handed. Unlike me, several people received a gift card–some even two– at the end of the night. By ten o’clock, tired gamers strolled out of the library with their prizes and small goody bags filled with chocolate. Abbasi, also a member of the Santa Clara Teen Library Council, was excited by the success of the event. “Seeing an event that the teen library council and library staff put time and effort into come to life and how everyone seemed to have a pleasant night” were her favorite parts. Carley La Placa enjoyed how the event brought local teens together. “I liked how people were encouraged to make friends from different schools and not just talk to the people they came with,” she said. “I also liked how I was able to meet other people from Wilcox who were in other grades that I never had a chance to meet before. I met really cool people and made some good memories.” The library has many more events planned for the near future, so be sure to look out for them on Facebook or other social media platforms.