Local high school seniors coming together to get back prom

(SOUTHWEST GEORGIA) — With the state order to shut down schools for the remainder of the year in place, traditions like prom and graduation have been taken away from thousands of students.

For Tift County High School Senior, Haylee Silvalia, it stings just a little bit more.

She says, “I have always wanted to go to prom. I’ve dreamed of the day i would graduate from high school. As a kid in my family, i would be the first one to graduate and i was the first one to make it this far.

That’s why Haylee formed a senior graduation and support group, to see about getting back both of these events.

The outpouring of support she’s seen from her classmates has helped her cause gain traction, and she’s not giving up easily.

“I’ve put all of my effort into what I’ve done to get to where i’m at. For that to be stripped from me and other people, it’s made me want to step up and fight for what we deserve.”

Just North in Crisp County, senior, Devyn Ray is organizing a similar group to hold a prom once shelter-in-place orders aren’t needed.

She says that since starting the group, she’s had support from the entire community.

“A lot of students have show their support, parents have shown their support. We’ve spent a lot of money, everyone has spent a lot of money on this. Everyone’s spent a lot of money on prom in their own way, whether it be for their dresses, anything. So a lot of people want to see this go through,” says Ray.

For more information on how you can support these groups you can visit Haylee’s group, The 2020 Prom and Senior Suport Group

For Ray’s Group, you can follow The Class of 2020 Movement