STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — It’s prom season.
That means seniors are preparing to dance the night away at the culminating celebration of their high school career. With that comes one of the most important aspects of prom — the dress.
As part of an effort to help students, Susan E. Wagner High School, Sea View, has created a prom dress shop.
The school has been collecting prom dresses and other formal gowns, mostly within the school community, to create the shop, which was created by Samantha Myers, a teacher and coordinator of student activities, and School Safety Agent Jamie Burke.
“It’s been going on now for about two weeks,” said Burke. “We’ve been collecting for May 17. It’s open for Wagner students to go in there and pick out dresses if they’re needing dresses, or whatever their situation may be.”
Students will be able to visit the shop on Tuesday, May 17, and pick out a gown. Students won’t need to pay for anything — the items will be available for free to Wagner students, explained Burke.
Myers and Burke have already collected approximately 30 to 40 dresses, but they are still taking donations.
If you wish to donate a gently used or new prom or formal dress, you can call Wagner High School at 718-698-4200 and ask for Burke. You will be able to drop it off at the front safety desk of the high school.
Students will be able to visit the shop on Tuesday, May 17, and pick out a gown. (Courtesy/Wagner H.S.)
CURTIS CLOSET
Last month, the Advance/SILive.com visited the Curtis Closet at Curtis High School, St. George, which has a similar ongoing effort to collect and organize donated dresses and other formalwear that is available for free to students.
The closet, located in the high school building, is comparable to the size of a local dress shop. Dozens of dresses of all different styles, colors and varieties are sorted by size. Men’s dress shirts, suits and slacks take up a smaller section. Heels, flats and men’s dress shoes fill a shoe rack at the entrance.
In the back of the space are room dividers that act as a dressing room, complete with a full-length mirror.
In the winter, Curtis collects winter coats and jackets. In the spring, gowns and dresses and menswear are collected to prepare for prom season and other special events.
The Curtis Closet is now closed for the spring to students and the school community.
The school accepts donations, including winter clothes and formalwear, like gowns, suits, dress shirts and shoes. Those interested in donating can call Curtis High School at 718-390-1800 and ask for Diana Aversa.
