Senior Damian Young of Kittanning shops for her second prom dress after the prom fashion show Friday at Armstrong High School.
by Jonathan Weaver
A dress for every day of the year is up for consignment sale at Armstrong High School.
‘Say Yes to My Dress’ Co-Chair Jenny Miller, of Ford City, said 365 used prom dresses are a part of the sale to raise money for both the senior high prom – with the theme ‘Enchanted Forest’ - and the life skills prom in April.
Dresses range between size 00 and 22.
“We wanted to make sure that everybody could have a dress. (And) they start at $5 – you can’t beat that, Miller said.
“I can’t thank any of the donors enough – there’s no way I can express my thanks enough to them. They are what made this event.”
Senior Ava Bosco is crossing her fingers she is asked to this May’s prom. She has previously been asked since her freshman year.
Bosco, who helped co-chair the event, put her last few dresses on consignment to make another girl’s dream come true.
“They were on the higher-end (price wise) but I wasn’t going to sell them online. Prom dresses are extremely expensive – it’s ridiculous,” Bosco said. “We really wanted to give people the opportunity to buy them at half the price if not less.”
This year, Bosco particularly is looking for a blue Cinderella-type of dress, if she is asked.
“We have a great selection here – I just didn’t want to buy a dress without a date,” Bosco said.
To help raise interest in the dresses, about two dozen students modeled about 30 random dresses during a prom fashion show Friday evening.
Dressed in a tuxedo and pink neck tie, Senior Anthony Falestti, of Ford City, introduced the models as they walked out on stage and also announced gift basket raffle winners.
About two dozen students from both Armstrong and West Shamokin high schools modeled the dresses during the evening fashion show
Senior Shannon Earl, of Ford City, was a student model and already knows she will be attending the prom with boyfriend of a year-and-a-half McKinnley Shriver – who is also a senior from Ford City.
She already has a dress in mind for the May prom, though – a blue dress her mother, Cherie, wore to her senior prom at Dayton High in 1995.
Earl was motivated to model three dresses Friday evening because of the Life Skills students.
“I think it’s nice that we’re going to offer them a prom. It’s nice that (the senior prom) is getting money too, but I really wanted to help (life skills students) out because they deserve it too,” Earl said.
Sophomores Hannah Woodside of Worthington, Trista Bowser of Kittanning and Emilee Brison of Kittanning all sold tickets outside the auditorium, but they were also keeping their eyes open at the dresses.
While Woodside looked for something in pink, Bowser visualized herself looking like a princess.
Bosco said the dresses will be available during the next few weeks in the school store.