Dancing the Day Away

On April 18th, special education programs from schools all over the valley gathered to dance the day away at the Unified Prom at Wenatchee High School. “Seeing the happiness on the faces of the students involved [was impactful]. It seemed like every participant was having a great time. They felt belonging and acceptance that they might not feel in many typical school settings. Personally, it was awesome to see a former student (now attending Wenatchee) whom I hadn't seen in a number of years. He lit up with the joy of seeing our staff and students again,” said Tyler Cox, Cascade School District psychologist.  

“I loved everything,” said Maia Wall (12), who has been to the dance three times before. “I liked dressing up.” They played a wide mix of music so that everyone had something to dance to. “I liked Party In The USA and Die With A Smile the slow dance song. I got my dress from Shein and Ruth got hers from Goodwill.” 

“The food was prepared by Wenatchee Valley Tech culinary program and was served by first responders,” explained special education teacher Rebecca Fritz. “The event is really well organized. The Wenatchee High director starts reaching out to the paras and we really start planning in January. You can go early for the girls to get hair, makeup, and nails, but because we live in Leavenworth, we get ready here and then go.” 

“I appreciated how, from the staff t-shirts to the signs and banners, it was ‘Prom 2025’ — not the ‘adaptive prom’ or ‘special education prom’. It felt every bit as polished and professional as any other prom. There were limo rides, a catered meal, cosmetology stations, photographers, and ample staffing. Wenatchee's students and staff went to a great deal of effort creating this experience for students from all around the region. As a result, participants felt the sense that they were where they belonged and that they deserved this level of effort and attention. No judgment, only fun. It's fascinating to see students who often have difficulty self-regulating, adapting to new environments, and dealing with frustration or sensory overload appearing to be perfectly at ease, going with the flow, and enjoying the company of others. I think this demonstrates how powerful it is to feel like you belong, in a setting where no one expects anything other than for you to be yourself,” Cox said.  

The dance became an inviting and comforting place for all, leaving students and staff ready to come back next year. “It was a blast. I think five or six schools were there. At the beginning of the night, we put down our gear in the gym, and then there were limo rides, dancing, lunch, and more dancing. We had eight students go, which is a little more than usual. I would love to go next year even if it's just as a volunteer,” said Amber Underwood, a special education para.  

“We were dancing on the dance floor,” said Lizbeth Ramirez Vazquez (11). “I had four different types of pasta for lunch. Last year I went to my cousin's wedding, and I wore my purple dress to the prom.” Each school also got to crown a prom king and queen. This year Cascade’s queen was Rosy Rosario (11). “It was fun, I liked all the songs. It was good being the queen, it was scary, and all the people saw me. I got to wear a ‘Prom Queen’ sash. I got my dress from Ross in Wenatchee. Maia got sparkly pink makeup and [Liz] got purple glitter,” said Rosario. This event would not have been possible without the help of Wenatchee Tech, Parson's photography, and Wenatchee High School.

Photos courtesy of Tyler Cox