In its inaugural dress drive May 26 at Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley high schools, the Valley Runway Project collected 540 new and gently used formal dresses for juniors and seniors who might miss out on prom and homecoming because their families can't afford the added expense.
It took Metea Valley reading specialist Ann Cluxton less than two months to envision, organize and fund the three-school dress drive that will give needy students a place to shop for formalwear without worrying about the cost.
In mid-March, Cluxton and one of Metea's deans, Jennifer Rowe, were accompanying nine students to Cinderella's Closet in Elgin in search of prom gowns when Cluxton was struck with an epiphany.
"We have such a giving community. Why on earth don't we have this in our area?" Cluxton said she recalled thinking.
Cluxton said six of the nine girls found dresses that day at the formalwear boutique, a joint project between the Elgin Junior Service Board and the YWCA Elgin.
However, many more teens in the district don't have the money to cover prom tickets, which cost $65 apiece, and the average gown, which can costs between $400 and $500. Twenty percent of District 204's more than 28,000 students are eligible for free or reduced-fee lunches.
"One in five kids come from families who struggle financially. That's a lot of kids who shouldn't have to miss out on a rite of passage," she said.
