The dance floor was the place to be when Nazareth Academy hosted its fourth Prom Night for Teens with Disabilities.
Getting their groove was a popular activity, but there were other things to do at the St. Patrick’s Day-themed dance held Saturday at the high school in La Grange Park. Prom-goers also played board games, tried on funny hats and costumes and posed for photos.
Students from Nazareth were partnered as buddies at the party that was coordinated by the school’s Friends in Service and Hospitality Service Team and other groups from both inside and out of the school. They included the campus ministry department, Student Council, the nonprofit Helping Hand Center in Countryside that serves children and adults with disabilities, and Aspire Illinois, a service organization for people with disabilities.
As members of the steering committee, seniors Brooke Gawel of Chicago, Mary Clare Harrington of Clarendon Hills, Maggie Reynolds of Darien and Maya Vondrasek of Western Springs, spent a year planning the prom that involved more than 100 Nazareth students who volunteered as buddies and helped out in other ways.
“I absolutely loved the experience of being a buddy and wanted to get more involved this year,” Vondrasek said.
“Through this prom and the FISH program overall, I have found my passion for working with those with disabilities,” said Harrington, who plans to pursue a physical or occupational therapy degree in college.
Clad in formal attire, guests strutted down a green carpet into the party where they danced to tunes spun by a DJ and snacked on refreshments.
“Everything about the night is focused around our guests and that is what really makes it special,” Reynolds said.
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