As she swung the girls' bathroom door open, Kassie Fuchs, 16, emerged wearing a long prom dress with overlapping shades of purple to show her mother and younger brother. Then her sister, Jade Milligan, 18, came out in a halter black dress with vertical silver beading on the chest. They twirled around, made sure everything snapped in place or tied together.
Both sisters tried on several dresses, but the search for the perfect attire for Red Bluff High School's senior prom proved to be worth it after they made their final decisions.
This week, many girls and the occasional boy found everything they needed for prom from the new or gently used dress and matching shoes to the tuxedo and tie at the Tehama County Department of Education on Lincoln Street in Red Bluff. Prom Project has accepted donations and given dresses and other necessities free of charge to students at Red Bluff, Los Molinos and Corning high schools for five years.
"In Tehama County, we really lack resources that our kids should have access to," said Jo Kee, the foster and homeless youth coordinator for the county Department of Education. "When I moved up here, I found a need since so many kids don't get to experience the prom. We wanted to create an atmosphere and a place where they feel comfortable and beautiful on just one special night at their school."
Since its inception, Fuchs and Milligan have found formal dresses for events starting with their eighth-grade graduation. With their father away as a military recruiter and their mother staying at home, they said Prom Project has definitely lifted the financial burden prom may bring to many families like theirs across the country.
"It means a lot because prom dresses are a few hundred bucks and that's a lot for my family," Fuchs said. "On top of getting my hair done and the price of the ticket itself."
During its five-year existence, Prom Project has given away more than 500 dresses with donations soaring to the point the organizers are looking into a larger storage outlet. They gave every girl a box of Bumpits after a donation overload of the hairstyle aid this year. But as the inventory disappears, more is needed. Along with dresses and suits, other items include men's and women's shoes, jewelry, makeup samples, handbags, corsages and boutonnieres.
"I think it's really cool they're giving dresses and tuxes for guys," Milligan said. "It helped out last year when I had to go to a formal." She and her sister plan to donate their gowns back to Prom Project, she added.
After starting a similar program at a Chico teen center in 2001, Kee decided to create another program after arriving at the education department.
"Prom is an easy 500 bucks. I just wanted kids to have one less barrier to go to prom," Kee said. "If a girl needs a dress, we won't turn them away. I had a girl looking for a quinceañera dress. We have girls who need graduation dresses, so it's whoever needs a dress."
Students who participated in the five-minute discussion in the Prevention Lounge on avoiding risk factors associated with prom such as sex, drugs and alcohol, also entered a raffle to win a tuxedo rental, manicure, salon appointment and other prom delights.
After this week, the education department will take the boutique on the road to Los Molinos High School and Corning High School.
As of early Tuesday night, students already walked away with 54 dresses and seven tuxedos.
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