WACO, Texas — In its second year that the "Say Yes to the Prom Dress" program is in full swing at Waco High School, as students have the opportunity to receive donated dresses that they might have not been able to afford if it weren't for the generous donations from the community.
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Glitter, rhinestones and beautiful colors — it's all part of the glitz and glamour that's being showcased at Waco High School during prom season.
Local young women and students, with gorgeous gowns to choose from — without having to worry about the price tag.
“There’s a lot of girls that didn’t have the funds to afford dresses, and I’m one of them," said senior student, Brittany Marroquin.
"Just financially, it’s just me and my momma — I don’t have nobody else."
It's all thanks to "Say Yes to the Prom Dress" — a community driven-program giving these students an opportunity that they might not have had.
"I’ve had different dress shops that donated different dresses here, as well as, I had different people in the community that came in and said 'I’m going to donate dresses to your girls at Waco High School',” said coordinator of the program, Keli Jackson-Freeman.
For business owner Joanna McLennan, she bought dresses out of her own pocket to make sure memories could be made and not missed out on because of tough financial situations.
"I feel like supporting my community because my community supports me, so it’s a way for me to give back to these high school seniors,” McLennan said.
These are seniors that are looking for ways to celebrate big milestones after overcoming so much.
“It’s hard right now — we’re dealing with my cousin passing away, and and this is really helping with prom dresses now, because we’re focused on getting my shoes and stuff like that,” said senior student, Lanyiha McCants.
This opportunity allows these young women to put reality on hold for just a bit, and focus on one of life's biggest rites of passage.
“Here at Waco High, they can offer that success and they don’t have to worry about how much it costs, but they can enjoy the moment,” Jackson-Freeman said.
