When the danger of sensory overload, a lack of appropriate facilities, or any other special consideration cannot be met or is overlooked, students with special needs are often left out of important milestone school events that others take for granted, such as a high school Prom.
Taking part in such a fairytale evening where gallant Princes and beautiful Princesses dance the night away became a reality for four very special Tecumseh students who had their very own “Night to Shine,” thanks to a partnership between the Tim Tebow Foundation (TTF), Troy Christian Church (TCC), Tecumseh High School, and the local “Youth and Family Initiatives” (FYI) organization.
“Night to Shine” is a ministry of Tim Tebow through the TTF. According to the TTF website, “Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older.”
“It is a night where people with special needs shine and are told that they matter, that they are important, and that God has a plan for their life!” says Tebow.
Troy Christian Church was one of 375 churches around the world that hosted a “Night to Shine” event on Feb. 10. A grand total of 75,000 Night to Shine guests were served by over 150,000 volunteers worldwide.
Excitement ran high in Mrs. Laura Wright’s MD class at Tecumseh High School in the weeks leading up to the special night.
“The girls started getting excited when the dresses started showing up (the girls’ formal dresses were donated by local residents), especially when they began trying them on. I think that’s when it really started to become real for them...Since then, talk of a Night to Shine has been non-stop,” grins Mrs. Wright, “I’m really excited for them to have this.”
One of Mrs. Wright’s “kids” includes Cole Bowden, who is 22 years old and autistic. He recently graduated from Tecumseh’s program and is working at Quest in Springfield. Cole’s parents and teachers say he is ordinarily non-verbal, but he has been so excited about Night to Shine, that every day during the week leading up to the event Cole has asked, “Night to Shine?” The aide who runs the Work Study program for Mrs. Wright’s unit is visibly moved by the story.
“I mean...he asked them EVERY DAY! It is just amazing. He rarely talks, and for him to say that every day? ...I don’t even have words to express how amazing it is,” she says, with tears in her eyes.
The girls attending the prom went to Mrs. Wright’s classroom to receive assistance with their dresses, hair, and make-up from family members and volunteers.
Taylor Brown was positively giddy when she saw herself in her beautiful black and white gown and sequined jacket, with a flowered barrette in her dark, upswept hair. Her bus driver, Missi Begley, provided Taylor’s jewelry. Taylor laughed with happiness; commenting that she “looked pretty” and was “very excited to go to the dance.” She also hoped she would hear her favorite song, “Bad to the Bone.” Taylor became even more animated as she watched her classmate, Rachel Harrison, make a Cinderella transformation too.
Rachel’s gown was sparkly and gold, with a black and gold wrap to match. She sat patiently in her chair, waiting as her family worked together to curl her long blond hair into ringlets. But when Rachel was finally able to see herself all dressed up, she could not contain her joy and began jumping up and down, in spite of the medical appliance on her leg.
However, not every student was thrilled with dressing up for the Prom.
Like most teenage boys, Joel Shaffer wanted to be wearing anything but the black tux pants and shirt, white suspenders, and carnation boutonniere he was sporting. Joel immediately made his displeasure with the situation known by sitting heavily in a chair and hiding his face in his arms. If there was still any doubt about how he felt, it was dispelled when Mrs. Wright said his flower smelled nice and Joel gruffly responded with, “It smells like a dead donkey!” then abruptly asked if he could change clothes.
Dennis Kelly is a member of the New Carlisle Rotary and an owner of a local limousine service. He donated the use of one of his limos for the occasion and drove the students and chaperones to the event in Troy. “This is something very special for the students (and) I’m happy I can do something for them (as well),” he explained.
The Night to Shine Ballroom at TCC was spectacularly decorated with lights and balloons. Every guest received a corsage or boutonniere. Guests were also announced before they walked down a red carpet to cheering fans. Rachel Harrison was so excited, that she bounded up and down the carpet before she could even be announced.
A DJ played music and each guest received a “buddy” who helped them throughout the evening. Some of the buddies included several young ladies from Tecumseh, as well as Tecumseh bus driver, Missi Begley.
Outside of the Ballroom, areas were available to meet the special needs of the guests so they were as comfortable as possible. A room was available where guests could go and take a break if they were over-stimulated. Hair and make-up artists offered a place where guests could get touch-ups or even whole new hairdos. A Karaoke room also offered a change from the dance floor, and Chick-Fil-A provided dinner for guests and their buddies.
The guests danced the night away, and Tecumseh’s students shone brightly throughout the event. When Cole busted out his signature “spin” dance move, he received thunderous applause and cheers from awed onlookers when he casually walked out of a minutes-long figure-skater-like spin like nothing happened.
The highlight of the evening was the moment when every girl was crowned “Prom Queen,” and every boy was crowned “Prom King.” As one buddy placed a crown upon his special guest’s head he told him, “You have a purpose, you are special, and you are loved,”
TCC Minister, Mark Messmore, says the church registered 111 guests and over 200 volunteers for the event. A $2,500 grant from the Tim Tebow Foundation helped cover some of the costs of Night to Shine, but Messmore says the time and talents of TCC members and corporate sponsorships were key to making the special evening a reality.
“TCC really wanted to make this a night where people with special needs could be celebrated and told, ‘You matter to us, and you matter to God.’ Hosting a Night to Shine gave us that opportunity....Sometimes we weren’t sure we would be able to pull it off, but something always happened that told us we could do it.”
Messmore tells a story of how a young lady named De-De inspired him and others at TCC when things were getting overwhelming with the project, “She was so excited about the upcoming Prom, it was contagious. Her excitement provided the boost we needed to keep going...and I’m so glad we did. The guests are having a great time tonight...this night has been amazing and truly, truly blessed by God.”
FYI’s After-School Director, Julie Driskill, expresses deep gratitude for the opportunity Tecumseh’s students had to participate in the event, as either guests or as volunteer buddies. She is also already looking forward to next year.
“We are grateful to both Tim Tebow and Troy Christian Church for making this possible...and who knows? Maybe Tecumseh could sponsor one of these next year!!”
