Centreville High School will open its annual Prom Dress Shop from March 13 to March 15, offering free prom attire to students facing financial challenges across the greater Washington region.
The event aims to ensure that all students have access to formal wear for prom, regardless of their financial situation. The initiative is organized by marketing students from Centreville High School and the Fair Oaks Classroom on the Mall program, who transform classroom space into a retail environment as part of their coursework.
Miranda Schick, a marketing teacher at Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), oversees the project each year. Schick said her students benefit from applying visual merchandising skills learned throughout the school year while also supporting their community. “Her students also get a chance to demonstrate their ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ skills, including communication, collaboration and critical thinking,” she says.
The Prom Dress Shop will be located in the modular classroom building near the stadium in the student parking lot of Centreville High School, outside of door 12. Any area student who does not have funds for prom attire may select from hundreds of dresses by presenting a valid student ID or other form of school identification. The shop will be open Friday, March 13 from 5-8 p.m., Saturday, March 14 from 2-5 p.m., and Sunday, March 15 from 1-4 p.m.
The project provides both practical experience for marketing students and an opportunity for high schoolers in need to participate fully in prom events.
