Still Shining Ten Years Later
Our Night to Shine Brings Everyone Together
Lisa Patrick
Ashland Beacon
Ten years ago, board members of the I Believe Foundation pulled all of their resources together to start the Our Night to Shine special needs prom. They knew that there were some high school students who just would not be able to attend the school’s regular prom. These students needed special accommodations, so they made it happen. Eight proms later (two years lost due to COVID) and they are still helping all of these students shine in their own special ways.
Our Night to Shine Prom that is organized by the I Believe Foundation differs from other special needs proms because only high school students aged 15-21 are able to attend-just as if they were attending their regular high school prom. This year the prom theme was “Run for the Roses” and derby decor was everywhere. There were roses on every table along with derby glasses with floating flowers. Glittery gold jockeys adorned the centerpieces. Big cardboard cutouts of Churchill Downs and racing horses were on either side of D.J. Rick Potter’s table full of musical equipment. Rose garlands and cardboard cutouts of jockey shirts were on the poles on the sides of the dance floor and a picture area was set up with more cardboard cutouts so everyone could take the opportunity to remember their prom night. Even the desserts were derby-themed with cupcakes containing gold picks shaped like horses with jockeys on their backs and cookies shaped like horse heads, horseshoes, and decorated with large roses made of frosting.
The students and their dates for the night were announced as they walked into the building and down the runway that had been created just for them. They were then seated at their dinner tables by prom volunteers dressed like waiters and waitresses in their white shirts and black pants. Once everyone was seated, the volunteers started bringing dinner and drinks to the tables.
The attendees were served food that had been prepared by the Boyd County Catering students and their teacher, Becky Lynch. They prepared chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls for the students. The attendees with food allergies had special plates made for them that included grilled chicken and gluten-free bread instead of the nuggets and rolls.
Although the prom is only for those students aged 15-21, that doesn’t mean that the alumni were excluded. There were several former prom attendees on hand to help out with this year’s prom. These students have been coming to prom for years-some of them from the very first prom all the way until last year’s prom (where the age restrictions didn’t count due to the two years lost to COVID). They showed up to make sure that the next generation had as great of a time as they did. They helped with decorations, served meals and drinks, and stayed around to help with anything else that might have been needed from them.
After dinner, the music started and the dancing began. Boyd County senior, Emma Stephens, said that this is her “favorite part.” She is a neighbor of two of the board members and has been attending the prom as a helper since seventh grade. When she saw a former attendee and current volunteer eating by herself, she immediately volunteered to sit down to eat with her to keep her company. After learning that her dinner companion loved chocolate, she went to the dessert table to get her a chocolate cupcake. Stephens hopes to become a music therapist because “music can help people in so many ways.” She hopes to still be able to attend the prom as a volunteer for a few more years if her college schedule will allow so that she doesn’t have to miss “when the music comes on and the kids start dancing.”
Keaton Lyon is a baseball-loving, 15-year-old Russell eighth-grader who attended the prom for the first time this year. Lyon has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and attended the prom with his youth group from Lifesong Church. He is one of two youth in the group with special needs but most of the youth group came out to dance with him. He said that the prom was “fun” and his favorite part was dancing with his date for the evening although he really enjoyed the dancing altogether. He danced the Cotton Eyed Joe and did the Church Clap with his youth group. He said that he definitely plans to come back next year and “all the years.”
Lifesong youth group leaders, Anthony and Annie Wall, and student leader, Sarah Blankenship said that they are always looking for ways that their youth group can serve the community and trying to stress on them to think of others. Anthony Wall said that he is “so proud of the students for showing up.” He said that “we put out the call and they showed up.” Skylar Crisp, another youth group member with special needs, sat down beside Annie Wall and told her that she was “having the best night ever.” Blankenship said that the prom was such a “great experience” and that she’s really “glad that (the I Believe Foundation) offers this for the community.” Anthony Wall said that he enjoyed seeing everyone having a great time and that he hadn’t “seen a single student shy away from another student that is different from them.” Annie Wall said that the youth group “will be back next year for sure.”
At the end of the night, the I Believe Foundation and several volunteers packed everything up and took it back to their office to be stored for next year. That doesn’t mean that the fun has completely ended. Many of the students are already planning what they are going to wear next year, and the I Believe Foundation will soon be meeting again to make plans of their own for another year of letting the special needs students shine.
