More than 300 dresses were given away to students from 17 high schools in three states during the annual Primp for Prom event recently held in the Woodward High School Practice Gym.
This year more than 400 dresses and nearly 100 pairs of shoes were donated to the Northwestern Oklahoma State University department of social work that co-sponsors the event with members of the Woodward High School Key Club.
“Primp for Prom is an event that always highlights the generosity in northwest Oklahoma and celebrates the goodness of humanity,” Dr. Kylene Rehder, department of social work chair, said.
This event is something that Key Club members look forward to helping with each year.
“It’s always fun to see groups of girls come in and have the prom dress shopping experience,” said Key Club sponsor Stefanie Alexander. “My favorite part of the event is seeing the look on the girls’ faces when they find the perfect dress for them.”
Lizzy Dennett, a Northwestern senior from Enid, sees Primp for Prom as being an important community event for high school students unable to attend prom due to the expense.
Several students attending the event noted that it can be expensive to purchase a prom dress so they were thankful for those who donated dresses and accessories.
Kailie Martin, a Northwestern senior social work major from Protection, Kansas, loves her volunteer experiences with Primp for Prom. Her favorite part is assisting girls in finding the perfect dress and watching their self-confidence soar.
Rehder expressed appreciation on behalf of the department of social work to those who helped with the event’s success including her co-director, Stefanie Alexander; Woodward High School administration, students and staff; Northwestern-Woodward campus dean Dr. Jonathan Thomason; Northwestern social work student volunteers; Tres Jolie of Edmond; Carlie Gallegos, Chantal Martin and all the generous dress and accessory donors from across northwest Oklahoma. She noted a special thanks to the administration of Woodward High School for playing host to the event.
“I think it is important to note that this event is about more than dresses; we see it as a means to embody our university commitment to serve,” Rehder said. “This community event provides financial support to families, builds a sense of community, role models service, and promotes positive self-images, confidence and empowerment to young people.”
For more information about this event or the department, please contact Rehder at kdrehder@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8135. For additional information on Northwestern’s social work department, visit https://www.www.nwosu.edu/school-of-arts-and-sciences/social-work.
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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Erin Davis, University Relations Specialist
eedavis@nwosu.edu, (580) 327-8480