SPARTA, Mich. -- The Best Prom Ever is a night that gives those with special needs the chance to enjoy a high school tradition, and with the event just days away, organizers are hoping to get more guests to sign up.
"The most we’ve ever had is around 1600 guests, but right now I only have 400 guests registered, which is awful when you think of the thousands of dollars we’ve spent so far to get this together to feed the number we’re hoping for, in the mid-1500s," said organizer Renne Wyman, a teacher at Sparta High School. "We spent that money, whether there’s 500 guests or 200 guests, so we want the most number of people to benefit from all of our hard work."
Best Prom Ever features free limo rides, a photo booth, dinner, and even party favors.
"There’s a lot of prepping and a lot of planning," said student volunteer Leah Scheid. "All the students come in, and they’ll have help making back drops and filling goodie bags, getting kids to start dancing instead of sitting on the bleachers by themselves. You bring them out and just dance with them try to make them as happy as you can."
We spoke to one student who will be going to the event for the second time. He says he can't wait. "I kind of like it. This year I’ll take a girl," said sophomore Jimmy Wolfe. "I’m looking forward to making more friends."
Organizers say the dance isn't just open to students.
"Our dances are not limited to high school students," said Wyman. "So, a student who falls in love with Best Prom Ever as a high school student can come back all throughout their adult years. So a student who’s 14 years old can come, and someone who’s 72 can come."
The dance is held twice a year. The next event is coming up on May 12 at Sparta High School from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Organizers say it takes many volunteers to pull the event off. They already have a couple hundred confirmed but are still looking for more to get involved. If you're interested, you can contact organizers through the event's website.
