Less than three months after a gunman walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killing 17 students and teachers, seniors on Saturday night will celebrate their prom.
Still, the Parkland high school prom will be far from ordinary. Not only will it be held under tight security, but there will be a tribute honoring the lives of the four seniors killed during the February 14 tragedy.
With some students still saddened and emotions running high, local businesses, vendors and community members have come together to offer products and services at cost or even free of charge, in hopes of relieving students of their burdens- even if just for a night. The event should involve all the hallmarks of a typical American prom: eye-grabbing decorations, lots of flowers and a dance floor packed with students dressed to the nines.
The biggest contribution came from the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, which has donated a ballroom and catering for the evening. The money saved allowed the prom planning committee to charge as little as $30 per ticket- down from the usual of about $100.
Other businesses also stepped up, offering hairstyling, makeup, photography and even prom dresses. To help ease students' pain, Gabriela Miller, an alumni and salon and spa owner, asked her staff to donate their time and services to girls preparing for the prom. They enthusiastically agreed. On Saturday, Miller and dozens of beauty experts from surrounding communities will do hair and makeup for more than 230 girls.
Apart from business, neighbors also did their part. Shawn Rosenthal, who lives a few miles south of Parkland, felt so moved by the attack that she organized a collection to provide free prom dresses to senior girls. Within days, with the help of her friends, they'd collected more than 100 prom dresses of all colors, shapes and sizes. They caught the eye of the Alumni Association, which was also gathering dresses, and pooled their efforts.
Such a community effort could help the students “heal for a moment.”
