Gallery • 6 Photos

Alex Salcedo

Senior Ray Harris speaks to Region North Homeless Education Office Title One Counselor Marta Blom as she signs a waiver on May 5. By signing the waiver, juniors and seniors acknowledged all items at the Prom Boutique were free of charge.

From cosmetics to formal clothes, juniors and seniors selected items free of charge in anticipation of prom on May 16.

“We want to remove any barrier for students,” Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Counselor Aid Silvia Beltran said. “So they can experience student life, like any other student, so that they can feel great and experience all of the activities that high school (has).”

Students who will attend prom strolled through room 10 during lunch and period 5 on May 5 and picked dresses, makeup, purses, suit jackets, jewelry and perfume or cologne to make the dance special and memorable. This prom boutique was made possible by senior Serena Elkins, the Associated Student Body president, who, after reaching out to LAUSD Region North Superintendent David Baca, was put in contact with Beltran. After organizing the event with the help of Magnet Coordinator James Morrison and Principal Kimberly Figueroa-Oliveira, a date was set in place to make it happen.

“(Prom is) like your final night of freedom and excitement and hanging out with friends, doing stupid things, being a teenager, which I think is so important for teenagers to be teenagers,” Elkins said. 

Student and Family Resources Ambassador Timisia Garcia and Region North Homeless Education Office Title One Counselor Marta Blom worked with Beltran to help students pick their items at the boutique.

“We want to make sure that the students who are experiencing homelessness or are in a difficult situation financially have access to good, quality wear so that they feel like any other student would,” Beltran said. “That they are celebrated, that they feel gorgeous, that they feel good and that they don’t go without food to buy a dress.”