Students at North Springs High School can purchase prom essentials at a fraction of the cost at a Prom Closet established with the help of Associated Credit Union.
North Springs dedicated a room that allows students to find prom essentials—including dresses, suits and accessories. The prom shop is open until the prom date of April 25, according to a news release.
“Last year, we recognized a gap—so many students shared that they couldn’t attend prom simply because they couldn’t afford a dress,” said Diahann Fulwider, coordinator of Student and Family Engagement at North Springs High School, according to the release. “That’s when we knew we had to do something different. We wanted to make sure our students didn’t miss out on such a special experience because of financial barriers.”
Fulwider said that with help from the Associated Credit Union (ACU), the school can offer dresses and suits to its students.
An ACU spokesperson told Rough Draft Atlanta that the dresses are a mix of brand-new and gently used donations provided by members of the ACU team. The prices at the Prom Closet typically run from $10 to $20. Similar dresses from retail stores can easily cost anywhere from $100 to $300 or more, depending on the brand and style.
In addition to dresses and suits, students can also shop for shoes and jewelry, all available at deeply discounted prices, the spokesperson said.
Heiwote Tadesse, executive vice president of Member Relations at Associated Credit Union, said North Springs High is its village and its community.
“We couldn’t imagine students missing out on such a meaningful celebration in their high school journey because of financial limitations. When we saw the need, we knew we had to step in and help make it happen,” Tadesse said.
ACU began a partnership with North Springs High School at the beginning of this school year with the opening of a dedicated space for its Work-Based Learning Program. Students work remotely in an ACU Virtual Customer Service branch. The students gain valuable hands-on experience by engaging in various financial operations, from processing deposits and withdrawals to assisting with customer loan payments utilizing interactive teller machines.
