Senior prom. It’s what all teenagers wait their high school careers for. The one opportunity where they can dress like movie stars and collect some of their most amazing memories. And now, it has become one of the events that teenagers and parents are struggling financially with.
For an average family sending one teenager to prom, the price has risen from a previously outrageous price, eight hundred and thirty three dollars per child, to an even more insane price. According to the denverpost.com, Visa reported that families plan to spend up to 1,078 dollars, on average, for prom. And for girls, the number was reported to be even higher.
Dresses alone, on average, cost between $300-$600. The price of shoes ranges between $100-$200. Hair, makeup, and accessories adds at least another $200. And that’s just the outfit. Then there’s the price of the ticket and the price of the limo or party bus or personal taxi– whatever it may be to make that single night perfectly perfect.
Everything put into that single night only lasts for those few couple of hours. Dresses are never worn again, shoes are thrown in the closet, hair comes undone, and the taxi abandons you once the clock hits midnight.
Marveling at the dress that was once worn, one begins to wonder if all of that money spent was just a waste. But there are two seniors who have a place for the dresses, shoes, and accessories. And it’s all for a good cause.
Seniors Megan Halloran and Nicole Smith have brought the “Prom Project” to Woodland.
The “Prom Project” is a a project fueled by the Waterbury Youth Services that collects used prom dresses, shoes, and accessories and gives them to local girls who cannot afford it. Tickets will be sold to the girls and families in order to enter in the event and the money collected from the tickets will be donated to women’s shelter charities. If a ticket is purchased, they are granted one free ideal prom dress.
“We know that prom is an expensive time and some people cannot afford it or are on a tight budget,” said Smith, “and we wanted to help out and make sure that every girl has her special night.”
So far, the girls have already begun to collect some of the necessities needed for prom due to their extensive advertising.
Not only do they have an email address and Facebook page for contact information, they have also created a display case right outside of the Woodland library.
“Right outside of the library, we’re going to put my dress, shoes, and accessories and then the price tags to show how much everything costs,” stated Halloran. “And I think it will encourage people to donate their dresses because they’ll never wear them again.”
Currently, they are in need of all kinds of dresses– small, plus-size, short, long, or puffy. Anything can help. And since dresses can be hard to donate, Smith and Halloran encourage girls to bring in at least the shoes and accessories.
Dresses will be collected by Halloran and Smith until the end of February. The girls added that they are looking into possibly planning a day after school where girls can donate and help organize the dresses. And then starting in April, there will be an event, either April 7th or April 14th, where the dresses will be chosen by the girls who cannot afford them.
Not only will the girls be helping to donate the dresses, they will also be playing an active role in this event.
“We’ve been invited to the actual event and we’re going to personal shoppers for the girls who are looking for the dresses,” said Halloran.
Smith and Halloran are very excited with how the project is going thus far and hope that their success continues in the next couple of months. And if you don’t want to donate a dress or accessories, monetary donations are also extremely helpful to go towards purchasing other prom themed items. Hoping to collect over one hundred fifty dresses, these dresses will help create memories that last a lifetime.
For more information, see Nicole Smith or Megan Halloran.
Contact Information: http://www.facebook.com/groups/249524028506551/?fref=ts
