BRIDGEPORT—Each spring, so many teenagers look forward to their high school prom with anticipation and excitement, helping to plan it, choosing an outfit, and then dancing with friends and classmates. The students of St. Vincent’s Special Needs Services are no different. With a 1970s disco theme as their backdrop, they held their annual prom at the school in Trumbull on Friday, May 27 after two years of a heavily-restricted event due to COVID-19.
As the sounds of the Bee Gees and KC & the Sunshine Band filled the room, the students, many wearing sequined shirts, colorful beads, and bell-bottoms, moved to the music and posed at the photo booths as their aides, some in roller skates, guided them on the dance floor. Disco balls, streamers, glow sticks, and strobe lights created the perfect atmosphere for these prom-goers, all with multiple developmental disabilities and complex medical needs.
“There is so much excitement!” said Geri Durnin, principal of St. Vincent’s Special Needs Services. “The kids couldn’t wait to see everyone—and they love to be in photos. This day is so special for all of them. It’s really a ‘Celebration’!”
Part of what makes it so special is the role the students played in planning this prom. According to Durnin, they chose the theme, made a playlist of songs such as “Boogie Oogie Oogie” and “That’s the Way,” and helped their teachers create the décor by painting, gluing, and designing some of the artwork. Each classroom picked one year of the decade and made bulletin boards highlighting ‘70s icons like “The Partridge Family” and John Travolta, all of which hung on the walls for viewing during the prom. In doing so, students learned not only 1970s pop culture but also about life in that era and the cost of items then and now.
“We incorporate the kids’ abilities in the preparation, and work education into it all,” said Colleen Gorman, a special education teacher and behavioral management specialist. “They get involved with the planning from the ground up.” Gorman added that since her classroom had 1978, they discovered which foods and brands were popular that year such as Ben & Jerry’s and Ding Dongs.
“With everything we do, we try to give our students as many typical opportunities as anyone else, and we just want them to have a good time,” said Durnin, who also commended her staff for the work they do. “I’m so appreciative of them for making it so special for the kids. They are absolutely wonderful.”
Thirty-eight students ages 15 and up attended either the morning or afternoon prom with the graduates being crowned kings and queens. Though this event has occurred for at least 30 years, the past two were scaled back significantly, and even now, parents could not join in as they had before the pandemic. Nevertheless, the feeling of unity and joy shown through all aspects of the day. Gorman said those with visual impairments enjoyed seeing the bright lights and colors, and those in wheelchairs were “sitting up tall, taking it all in.”
“The kids love the hustle and bustle of the day,” she said. “The environment is very stimulating for them.”
No one needed any excuse to “c’mon, get happy” at this prom—special in so many ways. When asked what her favorite part of the day was, one girl smiled brightly and answered, “The dancing!”
By Emily Clark
