HALIFAX – A group of graduating high school students in Spryfield is getting a special treat to celebrate their success. Local businesses and community members have donated prom dresses for their upcoming dance.
The students are part of Pathways to Education, a charitable organization that offers tutoring, workshops and financial help for students in low-income communities. The goal is to help them graduate from high school and enter into post-secondary education.
“Finishing school and being successful is the number 1 key in our household, so it’s very important to me – graduating,” said Massan Kamara, a Grade 12 student at J.L. Ilsley High School.
The Spryfield chapter of the program started in June 2010 after a survey by parent organization Chebucto Connections found the area had a 55 per cent graduation rate.
Four years later, the first group of students in the program has successfully finished high school. Thirty-five students are set to graduate this year, giving the program a 75 per cent graduation rate.
“These students have come a really long way. They’ve worked really, really hard and it’s been amazing to watch them grow from Grade 9 to Grade 12,” said Cheryl Matheson, the program co-ordinator. “They’re applying to post-secondary, they have amazing futures ahead of all of them and it’s been brilliant to watch it all happen.”
Matheson says the idea of collecting prom dress donations began when she had a conversation with two upcoming graduates about prom season.
“From that, it just sparked the cost associated with prom and looking at the prom dresses which can range from $400 to $700 dollars, which is a lot of money to spend on one day,” she said.
Matheson later put out a call on social media for dresses, and donations began pouring in.
On Monday, some of the girls tried on the gowns and put on a fashion show for the program’s staff and volunteers.
The group is looking for more donations, and plan to make the dresses available to all students in the community.
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