Belk Department Store picks up the tab for 2019 Austin-East Senior’s prom; Discovery Channel will sponsor 200 students from 4 area high schools.
(KNOXVILLE, TN) – Prom season got a lot more exciting for students at five Knox County high schools, thanks to generous support from two corporate sponsors.
Seniors at Austin-East High School gathered in the auditorium to learn that Belk department store is paying for their masquerade-themed prom by donating dresses, tuxedos, accessories and also covering the cost of a venue, entertainment, and food.
Principal Nathan Langlois kicked off an assembly in the auditorium with an academic pep talk, before introducing Patrick Dunbar, Belk’s store manager at West Town Mall. After Dunbar unveiled the prom surprise, several A-E students came on stage to show off their chosen formal wear and masquerade masks.
One of the senior students, De’Onte Bishop, said the promotion is like a dream come true. Bishop said he knows some students who would not have gone to prom had it not been for the Belk program. “It will let students showcase what we’ve got to offer.”
“It’s great … A lot of people have single parents here, so it’s less stress on the parents and less stress on the students who go to school, work and have to worry about other things,” he said.
Tyler Hampton, a spokesman for Belk, said Project Hometown initiative looks for ways to make an impact in communities where Belk has stores. The impact that Belk is making on the lives of the A-E class of 2019 and their families is tremendous.
Some students at Austin-East have to raise funds in order to attend their prom. “We wanted to take that weight off of their shoulders so that they could just focus on being a kid and enjoying one of the most memorable experiences of their lives,” said Hampton.
Two days earlier, Discovery Inc. hosted “Say Yes To The Prom” at its Sherrill Boulevard campus. Recipients were selected from Fulton, Central, Halls and Gibbs high schools. More than 200 students were invited to pick out dresses, tuxes, jewelry, and accessories for prom, while also receiving styling tips and haircuts.
Monte Durham, of the show “Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta”, which airs on Discovery’s TLC channel, posed for red-carpet selfies and chatted with students.
Durham said he grew up in a West Virginia home with no running water and an outside toilet, so he understands financial struggles and the difference it can make to dress well for an important occasion.
Durham said it’s amazing to speak with students about their future plans, and that Discovery hopes to be a part of that.
“We hope today that outside of finding a beautiful dress or tuxedos and shoes and jewelry and the glitz and the glamour, that we’re encouraging, inspiring and motivating these students to continue this celebration in education and move forward with it,” he said.
These events highlight roles that corporate partners play in supporting KCS students and teachers, and offered both companies a chance to show off their community spirit and their style that goes beyond fashion.