Stevens High School Hosts Multi-Day Free Prom Attire Drive for Students

Stevens High School in Claremont opened its doors to prom-bound students across Sullivan County last week, hosting a two-day free attire event that offered gowns, shoes, jewelry, menswear, and more at no cost.

Day 2 of the "All Slay. No Pay." Free Prom Attire Event ran on March 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Broad Street school, with high school students from any school welcome to stop in and choose from gowns, some brand new, as well as shoes, jewelry, and menswear. The event had launched five days earlier, with the school posting the initial announcement on March 17.

Students could try items on before taking them home, and everything was available completely free of charge.

The initiative carries particular weight at Stevens, where financial barriers to extracurricular milestones are a real concern. Twenty-nine percent of students at the school are classified as economically disadvantaged. Prom attire costs have climbed sharply in recent years, with formal gowns routinely running into the hundreds of dollars before shoes, accessories, and tickets are factored in.

Stevens High School is the only public high school in Claremont, sitting at the corner of Broad and Summer streets in the center of the city. By opening the event to students from any school, not just Stevens, organizers extended the benefit to the broader Sullivan County region.

The school serves approximately 492 students in grades 9 through 12. For many of them, the drive removed what can be a quietly significant obstacle to attending one of the most anticipated nights of the school year.