BALTIMORE — Prom is right around the corner, and for some it may be a struggle to go because of how much it costs for the attire.
One Mervo High School teacher is hosting a “Prom Dress Drive” to make sure those students don't go without.
It can cost around $1,000 when you add up the cost of the dress, accessories, and anything else that goes along with going to prom. But it's a night meant for students to remember forever, and Candis Fields is making sure these girls feel like Cinderella.
Tucked away on the bottom level of Mervo High School is Fields' classroom. There you'll find an array of prom dresses from long to short, sparkle to silk.
All waiting for the right student to say, "yes to the dress."
"We even had students asking just when we were hanging up dresses today, oh what size is this dress or oh can I see this dress for my sister," said Fields.
Its something Fields has done since 2017. She says, "The rise in prom tickets as well as the rise in dresses. It's just become a part where students just can't participate because they don't want to feel less than their friends, but they also can't afford, their families can't afford dresses."
This year she is partnering with the nonprofit Top Ladies of Distinction, Baltimore chapter, a humanitarian organization.
"Our top ladies we have donated gowns, we've donated hangers, we've donated garment bags and we'll be coming next week to help with the actual program,” said Kimberly Whitaker, TLOD Director of Orientation Baltimore Chapter.
It's the “Browse and Bag Day”, where on the evening of March 7 from 3-6 p.m., students from Mervo High School can go to the school and try on the perfect dress. The best part is they get to take it home for free. No questions asked and no one has to know.
"I feel very grateful that I got to give to others," said Kayla Gray, a recent graduate of Mervo High School.
She says she picked six dresses from her closet to donate. Remembering how fortunate she was to have a dress; she now wants to give back.
"To most families and the students it will be a weight lifted off their shoulders because they could experience the moment that they may not ever have gotten to experience or they may not have been able to experience before,” said Gray.
So far, several prom dresses have been donated, but they are taking more donations at Mervo High School until next Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
After the event, Fields will give the rest of the dresses to Baltimore City Foster Care.
