Cinderella’s Closet makes prom shopping easier, cheaper

Maria Vanderwarren, Head Cheer Coach at Oak Lawn Community High School and the school’s club, Students Against Destructive Decisions’ facilitator Joseph McCurdy were responsbile for organizing Cinderella’s Closet at the high school on February 10.

By Kelly White

Prom dress shopping can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.

Thanks to Oak Lawn Community High School’s annual dress re-sale, cleverly called, Cinderella’s Closet, on February 10, students were able to browse beautiful ball gowns all in one place at right the high school, 9400 Southwest Hwy.

“Prom is expensive and not everyone can afford dresses from boutiques,” Maria Vanderwarren, Head Cheer Coach at Oak Lawn Community High School, said. “We started this to help families with the cost and to give every girl the opportunity to attend prom or dances with a beautiful dress. This is all about making the girls happy.”

For more than 10 years, the event has been sponsored by OLCHS’ cheer team under the guidance of Vanderwarren, along with the school’s club, Students Against Destructive Decisions’ facilitator Joseph McCurdy.

The school, in conjunction with the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association, held a collection drive for items for Cinderella’s Closet at the end of January. Nearly 100 gently used dresses and 20 pairs of shoes were donated, along with dress accessories, and unopened make-up.

It was required that all dresses be dry cleaned before being donated.

All dresses were sold for a flat rate of $10, all shoes $2 and all unopened makeup was sold for just $1.

“For me, it’s all about the happiness it brings to these students when they found a dress they loved,” Vanderwarren said. “I absolutely loved seeing the look on a student’s face when they find the perfect dress and the excitement that came along with it. Students who have donated to Cinderella’s Closet benefited by knowing this was all made possible because of their generosity. They were able to help a student afford a beautiful dress and be able to go to prom looking gorgeous.”

OLCHS senior, Mia Reyes was just one lucky student who found the prom dress of her dreams at Cinderella’s Closet.

“This is great because it’s affordable and gave us the opportunity to get a nice quality dress for a bargain,” Reyes, 18, of Oak Lawn, said.

Sophomore, Shawni Jacobs, agreed with Reyes.

“We don’t have many opportunities to purchases dresses like this at discounted rates,” Jacobs, 17, of Oak Lawn, said.

Along with Reyes and Jacobs, more than 50 students from various high schools in the local area attended Saturday’s sale, including students from: OLCHS, Reavis High School, St. Gerald School, Hancock High School and Lincoln-Way East High School.

Aside from prom dresses, students also shopped for dance and graduation dresses.

A total of $300 was collected at previous year’s events, and this year was not be any different, according to OLCHS staff members.

“This is all about making girls’ dreams come true,” Vanderwarren said.

All proceeds from Cinderella’s Closet went directly to benefit OLCHS’s post-prom activities.

Oak Lawn’s prom will be Friday, May 3, at Odyssey Country Club in Tinley Park.

Oak Lawn Community High School senior, Rizan Ali, 17, of Oak Lawn, found the perfect prom dress at Cinderella’s Closet.