While there may not be a fairy godmother to turn a pumpkin into a carriage, the Cinderella Project helps make homecoming memorable for high school students in Kent.
Each homecoming and prom season, the Kent Area Council PTA-run program brings its collection of more than 1,000 dresses – varying in color, size and style – to the district’s high schools for girls to borrow at no cost.
All that’s needed to borrow one is a student ID card and a form signed by a parent. The program, which has been around for about 10 years, is open to all students regardless of income.
When Amy Bickleman took over as chair for the project in 2012, students had to pick out the dresses at Kent Phoenix Academy, where they are stored. Bickleman wanted to make the process more convenient for students, so she got rolling garment racks to hang the dresses, and started bringing them to each of the schools before the dances.
“We wanted to make it easy for the kids to borrow the dress without having to go somewhere,” she said.
Girls return the dresses to their school the Monday after the dance.
When Bickleman started with the project, there were about 200 dresses. Community members and students have donated previously worn dresses to the project.
“I haven’t bought a single dress,” Bickleman said.
On Monday and Tuesday, racks of dresses filled Kentridge’s orchestra room.
Girls spent their lunch period and time after school combing through the dresses to find the perfect one. Parent volunteers helped them select their gown.
Freshman Harnoor Dhillon heard about the program during school announcements and decided to shop for a homecoming gown from the Cinderella Project.
“I don’t want to keep buying new dresses every year,” said Dhillon, who tried on dresses before selecting a full-length, black gown with white trim.
Sophomore Sierra Strege bought a dress for last year’s dance but wanted to check out the selection available through the Cinderella Project.
“I didn’t want to become broke again,” Strege said. “It is nice to see what they have.”
Dressed for comfort
It is rewarding to see a girl find a dress that makes her feel beautiful and confident, Bickleman said.
“I have girls come in who have said they have never worn a dress in their life,” she said. “I have had parents come back and say, ‘My daughter is different since she wore this.’ It is about making girls feel really good about themselves.”‘
Last week the dresses were at Kentwood High School and they will make their way to Kentlake on Oct. 5-6 and Kent-Meridian on Oct. 12-13.
Bickleman has work parties several times a year to organize and inventory the stock of dresses. She recruits students to help and lets the girls try on dresses while they sort through them, pulling dresses they think are out of style. Dresses that are discarded still get put to good use, Bickleman said.
“Some of them no one is ever going to wear, but we keep it in the school by donating to the drama programs,” she said.
Bickleman has lent dresses to high school fashion clubs for shows, and in 2014 the Kentridge choir borrowed gowns for an Oscar-themed concert.
“As long as we keep it in the school district and it is for a school event, we are willing to loan the dresses,” she said.
Bickleman gets calls from students in other school districts asking to borrow dresses. She can’t lend them out of the district, but she has helped neighboring districts, like Tahoma, set up their own Cinderella project.
To get involved with Cinderella Project or to donate a dress, email Bickleman at cinderellaproject@kacpta.org.
PHOTO BELOW:
Sophomore Sierra Strege browses dresses on display at Kentridge High School in search of the perfect homecoming gown. Heidi Sanders, Kent Reporter
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