To a high school senior, prom seems like one of the most important events you’ll ever attend. Honestly, it might not be that far off. To this day, I meet new friends and eventually discuss prom night — who you went with, how you were asked, and of course, what you wore. I feel like her prom dress says a lot about a girl — for example, mine was a fitted, bedazzled, hot pink number with an open back. After one second of conversation with me, people generally land upon a simple “You would” when they see it.
Cheesy as it is, prom is a night to remember — an expensive night to remember. My heart goes out to the young girls who feel like being a princess for the night isn’t possible for them, simply because they can’t afford a dress. Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Maryland feels for these young women too, which is why they did everything in their power to make sure that everyone could go to the dance.
The girls began collecting prom dresses in January, asking that girls return with them after winter break. Since then, they gathered 200 dresses that they were then able to donate to teenage girls in foster care throughout Prince George County. Eight teens then came to the boutique-like setup in the Kappa Alpha Theta basement where they were able to try on — and go home — with dresses for the prom.
Ann Marie Foley Binsner, the executive director of Theta’s national philanthropy Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) told Diamondback Online:
“There’s oftentimes really nothing normal about the life of a young person in foster care,” she said. “So giving them the opportunity to be that normal teenager gives them a day or the maybe the week’s worth of preparation that goes into prom, just to feel really special and really good about themselves, and not the kid who can’t go because nobody can or will buy them a dress.”
Three girls left the event with prom dresses thanks to the incredible donations of the sisters of Kappa Alpha Theta. The remainder of the dresses will continue to be donated..
[via Diamondback Online]
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