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It’s a prom dream come true.
The distraction of 1,000 NYC high school students chatting, giggling and simultaneously shopping for the perfect prom look didn’t deter a determined Tiffany Lee from finding the perfect dress for her big night.
Battling through the crowds at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Sunday, the 17-year-old went straight for an expensive-looking, glamorous black sequin feathered corset dress, securing it before anyone else could nab it.
And rather than be handed an eye-watering bill for the outfit, Lee — like the hundreds of other students alongside her — was given it for free.
The prom dress and tuxedo giveaway was organized by Brooklyn Prom Project, a nonprofit organization determined to make prom night a memorable one for high school students in need by offering free prom dresses, tuxedos, suits, shoes, and accessories.
“I walked in and saw the feather dress and knew I was gonna get this one,” Lee told The Post. When she stepped out of the dressing room looking like a movie star, the hallway erupted into cheers.
“This is my senior year, so I’m going all out for my prom,” the teen said, beaming with joy. “I feel great, ’cause now I know when I graduate, I’m gonna look great.”
Working with donations from the community and various sponsors, the annual event, part of the Operation Prom National Network, is held all over the country for disadvantaged students. For 14 consecutive years, the Brooklyn Prom Project has been opening its doors to students at different Brooklyn venues, but this is the first year the event was being held at the Barclays Center — and it became the city’s biggest ever prom giveaway to date.
Throughout the day, the director of the Brooklyn Prom Project, Dawn Simon and over 350 volunteers helped students look through the clothes on the racks and accessories like shoes, purses, silk scarves, jewelry, tiaras, gloves, and even make-up on tables.
Aside from everything being free of charge, the event organizers do their best to make the students feel celebrated once they find their prom night look.
“The students shop at the racks, go to the dressing room, and when they say, ‘This is it,’ they tell the volunteers, and from the dressing room all the way down to the red carpet, we cheer them on with bells and whistles, Dr. Shaniqua Schloss, one of the organizers, explained to The Post.
Students like Miriam Sow, 17, are beyond grateful for the opportunity “because finding a good prom dress is expensive, especially for low-income families,” she told The Post as she was waiting in line for her big red carpet moment. “Senior year has just been very expensive.”
Samantha Rios, 19, agrees: “I really appreciate that there is an event that gives free prom stuff. It’s very difficult to afford these things.”
Rios walked into Sunday’s event knowing she wanted to try on pink and white gowns. “Those are my favorite colors. All my clothes are white and pink. I love them because they show my femininity,” said Rios. She also picked up a pair of white fingerless lace gloves before she got in line for the dressing room.
Christine Delius, one of the volunteers at the accessories table, even noticed a few fashion trends while watching the students pick out their prom looks. “Kids have been taking a lot of gloves, which I didn’t think was a thing in 2026, but apparently people still like gloves,” she told The Post. “My mom would be happy to hear that, ’cause I didn’t wear gloves at my prom.”
For Delius, it was an “amazing experience” to support the students. “It’s a joy to see the kids come in and get something that they didn’t have to pay for. It also alleviates the financial burden for parents. Prom is a rite of passage, and everybody deserves to have a magical night, so we’re just helping to be able to do that free of charge.”
Finding something to wear that the students feel comfortable and confident in is important, so they were encouraged to take their time shopping through all the different options in the room.
It took some time until Jayden Parris, 17, found a tuxedo that fit him just right. “He has broad shoulders,” said volunteer George Myrie, who had been helping him. “But we found a tuxedo with a peak lapel, single-breasted, some Florsheim shoes, a bow tie, and a white shirt from Portobello.”
Parris called his mother on FaceTime to show her the final look, who was crying when she saw her beaming son. “Don’t cry, mom. “Don’t cry!” he said, trying to console her. “I’m really excited now for my prom.”
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, a New York Liberty basketball player, attended the event to show her support. “Prom, when I was in high school, was a big deal for me.” Laney-Hamilton told the Post. “So the fact that these kids are able to come here, grab some free dresses, accessories, and shoes, and are able to feel their most confident selves, I think it’s a really great thing.”
It was hard to deny the excitement in the air at Sunday’s event. Stephon Cruz, 17, was getting his neck measured by volunteer Drew Felton to feel like his most confident self on prom night, while Madison Evans, 18, laid her eyes on a sparkling red silk gown and knew that it was the winner.
“I was going for a Sahara desert look,” the Uncommon Collegiate Charter High School student said. “Hopefully, I can find a veil,” she said as she followed one of the volunteers to the accessories tables.
On the other side of the room, identical twins Kayla and Kyla Stoudymire were being applauded when they found their dresses.
The twins’ mother, Jenni Manley, told The Post that she let the girls pick their own dresses. “Mommy had nothing to do with it or they would have been matching.”
“Their school, A. Philip Randolph Campus High School in Harlem, informed us [about the event]…. So we decided to get dressed this morning and come out, and it was the best decision ever.”
Kyla chose a pink sequin dress with a corset top, while her twin sister Kayla found an orange tuff dress. “I felt like nobody would want to pick this color because it’s orange…. But I felt like this color is really beautiful and is something that nobody would wear.”
“I am so happy,” Manley said. “My girls are going to college… Everything was beautiful today. Staff and everything. Just wonderful.”
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