OTTAWA -- Faith Holloway has been thinking about prom since kindergarten.
In September, the 17-year-old from Holy Spirit High School in Conception Bay South, N.L., custom designed her perfect dress: an elegant baby blue, mermaid-fitted masterpiece.
Months later, when her city went into lockdown because of COVID-19, her dress was still in alterations. It is still stuck in the store.
While her high school class can鈥檛 gather together this week, her family and boyfriend wanted to do a small celebration. Her childhood friend came to the rescue.
鈥淪he offered to let me wear her own grad dress, which I thought was amazing. Who would let you wear their own dress?鈥 Holloway says.
Now she鈥檒l be pretty in pink, in a rose-gold, sparkle-toned gown.
VIRTUAL PROM
The Student Life Network says 370,000 students are in Grade 12 this year. The organization is trying to lift spirits with a virtual party this Friday, dubbed 鈥淧rom is on 2020.鈥
Students from coast-to-coast can register online and tune in for celebrity appearances, guest DJ Loud Luxury and prizes. , a donation is made to Kids Help Phone.
Michael Salib, a 鈥淧rom is on 2020鈥 student organizer from St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School in Mississauga, Ont., says ending his final year so abruptly brought on mixed emotions, but at the end of the day, he volunteered to make history.
鈥淚n a time when we鈥檙e so far apart, this is the perfect time to be as close as ever,鈥 he says.
COMING TOGETHER
That鈥檚 how a small town in Saskatchewan wants its 10 graduating students to feel. On Gravelbourg鈥檚 main street, large beautiful banners are hanging from lampposts - each with a different smiling graduate.
It鈥檚 a stylistic touch that makes Breanne Smith feel special during this tough time. Growing up with her classmates at Ecole Gravelbourg School, Smith was looking forward to capping off their 12-year adventure, together.
鈥淓veryone always talks about your last year, and how great it is and it really was probably the best year of my high school, and so I was looking forward to having that big grand finale,鈥 Smith explains.
The big day wasn鈥檛 just for herself, but for her 92-year-old grandfather. He lost his wife last month, and moved in with the family. Even just a glimpse of his granddaughter in her blue silk dress, brought a tear to his eye.
Ana Solano, an avid singer and theatre lover, goes to Earls of March Secondary School in Ottawa. During the lockdown, she wrote an original song to inspire her peers across the country, singing, 鈥淭he sun will shine again.鈥
For her, the biggest disappointment is moving onto the next chapter without a proper goodbye. But she believes the class of 2020 will persevere.
鈥淚 really believe in our class, and our generation, that we can get through this and will get stronger from this,鈥 Solano says with a smile.
