Prom has brought joy to many people over the years, but the prices of prom can bring the joy level down a bit. 

“Dancing with my friends and being goofy is a lot of fun, but since dresses are so expensive it’s hard to actually enjoy myself without being worried about ruining how I look,” senior Nikki Drake said.      

According to Visa’s 2014 Prom Spending Survey, the average household spent $978 on prom-related expenses in 2014. While that seems steep, it’s actually a drop of 14 percent over the previous year’s average of $1,139.

 However, junior Claire Callahan has an idea to change that.

The idea is called “GE’s Closet,” Callahan said, “It’s going to be where girls and everybody around town is able to donate their dresses to this program, so that other girls can come in, trade their dresses with other people, or even just come in and get a dress.”

Callahan is a member of GEHS athletic teams, as she participates in track and basketball. She was also in FEA (Future Educators Association) last year.

  “This is sort of my way to give back to the school,” said Callahan, “Because I am not in an extracurricular club.”

   Students who need a dress can come to the school Saturday, April 8  from 1-3 p.m.

“What’s going to happen is you will come in and donate your dresses to a certain classroom. It’s all free, all paid for. And if you do not want to make a trade, you donate it and then you are put into a raffle drawing for a gift card to an establishment here in Gardner,” said Callahan.

 Students can donate by bringing their dresses to Mrs. Staple’s room from 7:30-8:00 AM and 3:00-3:30 PM throughout the entire month of March.

  “If you do want to trade, you give us your dress and we will hold onto it until it becomes the date that we will be having the exchange,” said Callahan.

   The closet is targeted for all grades around the school and in the Gardner area.

  “It’s for everyone. This year it’s going to be for prom,” said Callahan. The GE closet is planning to extend into more than just dresses for prom only.

   “But eventually, I want to develop it into more of like homecoming and winter royalty, but for this year it’s going to just be prom,” said Callahan.

   According to Psychology Today, “for many young people and their parents, senior prom is a watershed event, a coming of age ceremony that separates the end of high school from whatever more worldly experience comes next.”

“I think going to prom is definitely a milestone that everybody should have the opportunity to go to,” said Callahan.