Prom: the most magical night of a girl’s entire high school career. It is all about finding the perfect dress with matching shoes and jewelry, having the perfect hair and makeup, and attending with the perfect date. However, the most perfect night comes with some not so perfect costs.

The cost ruins the idea of prom for many people. For girls, the biggest investment is the dress. At any prom shop, dresses can range from $100 to $1,000 and all of the “pretty” dresses are on the more expensive end. This makes it difficult for many girls to find the perfect dress for themselves.

This year, 11th grade English teacher, Roxie Smith is putting on a project to help girls who could not attend prom due to the costs. For the last month, Ms. Smith has been gathering prom dresses for girls to borrow for the big night. Several people have brought dresses that their daughters or older sisters had worn to previous proms to donate to the cause. This eliminates the cost of a dress for anyone who participates, which gives all girls the chance to dress up and enjoy a night with their friend(s) or significant other.

“I overheard a student say that she wanted to go to prom but didn’t have the funds to go. I instantly thought about my daughter’s prom dresses just hanging in the closet.  That is how it started. I brought two of those dresses. After that other students were telling me of dresses they had or dresses their sisters had,” stated Ms. Smith.

According to Ms. Smith, the project has been very successful. “I have seen some very thankful girls. Girls that didn’t think they could go to the prom are able to ‘see’ that they can have a wonderful night. It is so nice to see the excitement in their eyes and friends encouraging them by taking them to the restroom right away to try on a dress. They come back excited and talking about the shoes they already have that will match, or the simple pair of earrings that they can wear. You don’t have to have it all. You don’t have to pay a lot of money. You can make do with what you borrow or what you have and you can enjoy a night of your life. This is a night that you will never get back.”

Prom should not be about the money. It should be about getting out of your comfort zone and having fun with the people you love. School is stressful. Every student deserves at least one night to unwind, especially in a safe, school-supervised environment. Just go. Find a group of friends, be a kid while you still can and just have fun. Thanks to Ms. Smith and her amazing idea, several will get the opportunity to feel like royalty and let go of their worries for one night.