The juniors planning and organizing the prom have decided to participate in the Glass Slipper Project, a clothing drive that  helps gather and give away free prom dresses and accessories to junior and seniors in the Chicagoland and other surrounding areas.

The Glass Slipper Project is the largest charitable prom organization in the U.S. Thousands of dresses are given away each spring. The project has dressed over 20,000 junior and senior girls since it started in 1999.

In conjunction with the Glass Slipper, Zengeler Cleaners picks up the donated dresses, repairs, cleans, and delivers them to the Glass Slipper Project in Chicago. This partnership allows for girls who can’t afford a dress to have the dress they have always dreamed of.

“Advisers have been given resources and materials to address the impact of this work to move students from simple charity to a deeper awareness of the world they live in,” Junior girls’ adviser chair Patricia Sheridan explained.

Junior Alex Dimakos, on the prom committee, said “the project allows every girl to have a complete prom experience regardless of their financial situation.”

It is clear that this project is not only helping those in need, but also shows that NT students realize the importance and the greater impact they can have.

Many girls will wear their prom dress once and never think about it or use it again in their life. This project allows for these dresses to be repurposed and refitted for young women who can’t afford them.

“I think participating in this project helps to bring awareness to our students that not all of their peers are able to afford the expense associated with prom, yet should have the opportunity to attend,” Sheridan stated.

Sheridan also explained that part of the reason for choosing this project was that, “Junior year is a stressful time for our students and doing a collection on-site allows us to give back to the community without leaving the campus.”

The Projects itself runs similar to your average boutique would, making dresses and accessories available at pop-up boutiques. Each student will receive personal assistance to find the perfect from a volunteer “personal shopper”.

Sheridan, who helps organize the project, said, “Annually we collect approximately 200-300 dresses, shoes, and accessories.”

For the past four years, the hope is that, as a school, we are able to collect enough dresses so that we are considerably helping provide for the project. “Our goal is for the junior class to collect 500 dresses in one year. This is ambitious but I think it’s doable,” Sheridan said.

Dimakos said, “this week during advisory we are going to talk to all the girls’ advisories and send out our message and goal.”

It is not only NT students who can take a role in donating their old prom dresses, every year staff members donate their used dresses as well.

“Rather than leaving it in a closet, it can be used to make another person feel special,” Sheridan said.

Male students who have friends, sisters, or other family members who have old dresses that are no longer being used are encouraged to donate these dresses to the project.

The prom committee would like students and staff to reach beyond the simple feeling of “feeling good because you donated,” to be a part of the greater effects the Glass Slipper Project is providing.

“The ultimate goal is that we are developing our students’ engagement in social justice and critical consciousness of the world around them,” Sheridan said.