This article was originally published in the spring 2013 Harker Quarterly.

Students collected nearly 30 prom dresses for girls who need them. Sheridan Tobin, grade 10, and Shannon Hong, grade 9, took it upon themselves to solicit the donations from fellow students for the Princess Project, which promotes self-confidence and individual beauty by providing free prom dresses and accessories to high school girls who cannot otherwise afford them.

“Collecting the dresses is great, but it’s really about so much more than that. It’s about boosting these girls’ self- confidence and giving them a chance to forget whatever hardships they may be going through and giving them a night that can be all about them,” explained Tobin.

“I think that sometimes we take opportunities that we are given for granted,” added Hong. “There are plenty of girls in San Jose who would be so glad for just one dress out of the many in our closets.”

The Princess Project has served more than 20,000 teens through the dedication of more than 2,000 volunteers. Volunteers sort dresses and organize accessories for girls living in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and San Diego.