Ticket to prom elates homeless girl ... until prom is over and she has to go home.

[guyver01]

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/5774724-423/ticket-to-prom-elates-homeless-girl.html

The first time Shanika Harris got called into the school principal’s office was one of the best moments of her life. The straight-A high school senior was nervous and confused, but ultimately elated — she never expected it was for a chance to attend her prom. A ticket had been paid for by an alumna

Harris’ family recently lost their Cicero home due to foreclosure, and the family has been living in a city shelter. In addition, her mother has congenital heart failure, requiring frequent trips to the hospital. And as the oldest of five children, Shanika often carries the burden when her mother is ill.

So when alumna Fran Plusker visited Senn and learned that some of the students would be unable to attend prom due to financial hardship, she approached Principal Susan Lofton about donating a $120 ticket to one such student. Plusker, who graduated from Senn in 1960, had not been able to attend her own prom and never forgot it.

“Counselors talked it over and the one name that kept coming up was Shanika because of her extraordinary circumstances,” Lofton said. “She really has been strengthening herself through adversity. She was literally like Cinderella in the ashes.”

And Saturday, as Shanika prepared for prom — with a new dress also donated — her excitement mirrored the fairy tale.

“I want it to be the one night that we always remember,” the ebulient teen said. “The one we can look back on and say, ‘That was one of the best days of our life.’”

 

[lxskllr]

That was awesome of Ms. Plusker. I hope she has a good time :^)

 

[amdhunter]

Job well done, Obama.

 

[BrokenVisage]

The article goes on to say that her date told the limo driver to take her home, she hasn't been heard from since.

 

[ahenkel]

is a 120.00 for prom normal?

 

[nick1985]

Cicero. What a fucking dump.

 

[amdhunter]

She was literally like Cinderella in the ashes.

racists

 

[BrokenVisage]

racists

scavenges

 

[Newbian]

is a 120.00 for prom normal?

I thought the same thing.

For a HS party that tends to get paid for by donations / school fund raisers seems a bit odd.

 

[The_Dude8]

is a 120.00 for prom normal?

Price has to keep up with inflation.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I thought the same thing.

For a HS party that tends to get paid for by donations / school fund raisers seems a bit odd.

Yes it is. It does come with full on formal dinner and stuff though (usually).

 

[Leros]

is a 120.00 for prom normal?

Ours was $60 each. That was 6 years ago.

 

[Newbian]

Yes it is. It does come with full on formal dinner and stuff though (usually).

Well that's a bit better since usually the dinner is something the kids go out for before.

 

[KaOTiK]

is a 120.00 for prom normal?

I think mine was like $80 a ticket like 13 years ago. But we also had ours at the Grand Floridian Resort at Disney World

 

[coldmeat]

Our tickets were $10. The prom was at the golf course, and the only food served was triangle sandwiches and veggies.

 

[AlienCraft]

This is still a good idea.
Ms. Plusker has the right idea.

 

[UberNeuman]

Reality is a bitch. Assclowns that lack basic humility are worse...

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Can't tell. But she does look hittable.

 

[Malak]

I never went to prom. Don't regret it one bit, can't even remember the name of a single person I graduated with. But I still talk with ex-girlfriends from 8th grade.

 

[zerocool84]

Yes it is. It does come with full on formal dinner and stuff though (usually).

You got a formal dinner at your prom? My prom was ~$100 eight years ago and everyone just met for a big nice dinner at a restaurant before hand. They just had snacks at the prom.

 

[The_Dude8]

Our tickets were $10. The prom was at the golf course, and the only food served was triangle sandwiches and veggies.

is there even a dance floor on the golf course? or did all of you play 18 holes in the dark at prom?

 

[IceBergSLiM]

5 kids and living in a shelter....wear a condom kids.

 

[Saint Nick]

You guys had to pay to go to prom? WTF, mine was free. I just had to rent a tux. Hell, one year I wore a t-shirt and blue jeans...

 

[Numenorean]

If she is homeless how does she go home?

 

[Drako]

"ebulient"

Doesn't the Sun-Times have a spell checker?