For American teenagers, there is perhaps no greater rite of passage than the prom. This spring, teens across the country marked their formal entrance into adulthood by donning tuxedos and elegant evening gowns for a very special night shining with friendship, hope and promise. The future should never seem brighter than it does on prom night.
Yet for many teens on our remote 2.8-million-acre reservation, that fun and frivolity is in short supply. Young people have to grow up fast on Cheyenne River, where unemployment hovers around 75 percent. There’s little money for basic household needs, much less for dresses, shoes and accessories for the prom. For them, that all-American rite of passage may lie just out of reach.
That’s why we’re asking residents of Rapid City and the surrounding areas to consider donating this year’s gently used prom dresses, shoes, accessories and jewelry for next year’s prom season. We’ll provide the items to Cheyenne River’s young people through a much-loved program called Passion for Fashion.
CRYP created Passion for Fashion in 2001, and it remains of one of the youth project’s most popular and long-running programs. The one-day event provides support for teens who need all the prom essentials, and more importantly, it fosters intergenerational exchange, bonding, self-esteem and positive body image. Those who cannot attend the actual event may come to the Cokata Wiconi teen center on a more convenient date to choose their dresses and accessories for prom.
This past year, more than 50 girls attended Passion for Fashion, which boasted the theme, “The ‘80s: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Another two dozen additional girls were able to take home their prom essentials in the days to follow.
“We believe that our kids should have access to the experiences and lifelong positive memories that other American kids enjoy,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “Everyone should feel beautiful, special and important for that one magical night of the high school prom.”
All high-school girls on the Cheyenne River reservation receive personalized invitations to Passion for Fashion; however, Cheyenne River’s junior-high girls may attend as well. CRYP also welcomes teens from the Standing Rock reservation and from border communities such as Faith, South Dakota.
Best of all, family members of all ages are encouraged to accompany their teens for this memorable day at the Cokata Wiconi teen center (its name means “Center of Life” in Lakota).
“Passion for Fashion has become so special to us largely because multiple generations of Cheyenne River women attend the event,” Garreau said. “Grandmothers, mothers, aunties, sisters and cousins celebrate with the girls as they prepare for prom night. We’ve also been delighted to see how the teens support each other as they address such difficult issues as low self-esteem, poor body image and bullying.
“We have fun with the dresses and accessories, it’s true, but Passion for Fashion is about much more than that,” she continued. “We give the girls important messages that we hope they’ll retain for the rest of their lives. It’s so rewarding to see these young women transform over the course of a single day. Words can’t describe seeing such inner beauty and confidence emerge — and watching new friendships develop that carry over into the teens’ everyday lives at school.”
Staff and volunteers have already set their sights on the 2014 Passion for Fashion program. To bring next year’s event to life, however, CRYP must start collecting donations now. In short, the youth project needs prom dresses and accessories. Lots of them.
“We need new and gently used dresses in sizes four to 26, but we especially need sizes 16 to 26,” Garreau said. “The same goes for shoes. We need shoes in all sizes, but especially in sizes 9 to 12.
“We’re hoping now is the best time for our supporters in Rapid City to consider sending donations, since this year’s prom season is just winding down,” she continued. “We encourage everyone with high-school-age children to take a look at what their teens used this year and see if it might be a good fit for Passion for Fashion. Their contributions mean so much to our young women here on Cheyenne River.”
CRYP also is asking for jewelry and hair accessories; makeup and bath sets; gift cards and cash donations. Staff and volunteers will take any contributed funds and make additional purchases based on need.
For more information about how you can support Passion for Fashion, contact CRYP’s local community representative, Jeffrey Meyer, at jmeyer@seacrestwm.com.