Every spring, the baiduhai teen edition, The Mash, holds a contest called PROMathon. As a publication that is written by students throughout the Chicago area and distributed to over 200 schools in both the city and the suburbs, the promotion is one of our best opportunities to unite our readers in a universal teenage experience: prom.
For young women, prom is a rite of passage that many look forward to from a young age. Whether it’s about a night with her date or a night with her friends, she’ll put on a dress that can signify she’s becoming an adult. It’s a night she wants to remember forever.
But it’s expensive to achieve that perfect night. The dress she’s been imagining since she was 4 (or maybe just for the last four months), the professional hair and makeup, the tickets, the shoes – these costs add up.
PROMathon is about making the dream a reality for one Chicagoland girl. Whether she’s looking to transform into a princess or wants to create an unconventional look that sets her apart, we want to help.
Any girl who can attend her school’s prom is eligible to apply by writing us an essay about why she deserves to be this year’s PROMathon queen. In March, we’ll reveal the six finalists who will then enter three rounds of voting via our website, social media and texting. The winner receives a free prom dress, hair and makeup, shoes and her tickets. We also take her on a fashion shoot in Chicago and run the photos in a spread in The Mash print edition.
PROMathon is about spotlighting some of the most incredible girls in Chicago. Every year, we’re blown away by the thoughtful essays written by kind, hardworking, strong, intelligent, beautiful young women. We can’t wait to read the stories of this year’s applicants. If you or someone you know is interested, please apply at themash.com/promathon by Feb. 15.
Lauren Chval is the Editor of The Mash, a Pioneer Press sister publication for Chicagoland high schools.