Page 7 - Dinuba Sentinel 4-25-19 E-edition

The Dinuba Sentinel
Community
Thursday, April 25, 2019 | A7
It was a large turnout for a Disabilities and Special Needs Prom, held the evening of April 6. The events coordinator, foreign exchange student Tanya Zhurman, called it a success and hopes someone will continue the prom in the coming years.
'To see their smile...' S
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Special Needs Prom brings joy to all in attendance. Exchange student hopes event will continue.
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to feel like a star. Trophies were volunteered to cook the dinner Editor@thedinubasentinel.com handed out for best-dressed, best for the prom.
nack
By Rick Curiel
Photo contributed
Vans Custom Culture continues to provide a platform for high school students to embrace their creativity and self-expression. As art education budgets are often the first to be cut, Vans puts it foot forward and strives to contribute more than $1,000,000 behind youth
Vans Custom Culture continues to provide a platform for high school students to embrace their creativity and self-expression. As art education budgets are often the first to be cut, Vans puts it foot forward and strives to contribute more than $1,000,000 behind youth culture and creativity.
Vans
Continued from Page A1
Tuesday and will continue through Friday, May 3, at https://customculture.vans. com/. Votes will help determine the top five finalists who will move on and get a chance to win the grand prize of $75,000 towards their high school art program.
Public vote is the time for schools to excite and involve their communities and help take them one step closer to winning the $75,000 grand prize. With support from partners including Journeys, Yoobi, Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) and Americans for the Arts (AFTA), this year’s winner will be surprised with a special event and a $75,000 check for the school’s art program
Photo courtesy of Vans
The four runner-up schools will not leave empty-handed as they will receive a limited-
$10,000 donation to their art
programs. culture and creativity.
The pair of shoes on the left was designed by Sierra Vista's Jose Romero and the pair on the right was designed by Hesvin Gonzalez. Combined with an Impact Document written by Andrew Delgado, the school's art work is a finalist in Vans' 10th Annual Custom Culture Art Competition.
smile, best dress, just to name a Others who made the prom It was more than just a school few. possible were the Dinuba project for Tanya Zhurman. The “I had parents coming up Kiwanis Club, Dinuba Womans’ foreign exchange student, as part to me crying, thanking me for Club and staff and students at of her exchange program, put on putting on the prom,” added Dinuba High School. Zhurman
a community prom for locals with disabilities and special needs on Apr. 6 and came away with a new found appreciation for those the prom honored.
“I’ve always wanted to do something for disabled people,” said Zhurman of her decision to put on the event. “It my country (Ukraine) they are treated different than they are treated here.”
One day, while driving by the Sequoia Adult Activity Center on North Alta Avenue she noticed some special needs adults and a thought occurred to her. At the time, many of her classmates were all talking about prom.
“I thought to myself, what if these people never got to experience prom,” said Zhurman.
Soon after, Zhurman felt compelled to put on a prom where local people with special needs can attend a prom. After coordinating with the center, she discovered that, in fact, none of them had ever been to a prom.
That all changed on Apr. 6 when the special needs adults from the center, about 20 in all, attended their first ever prom.
“When they came to prom, they were all just so happy,” Zhurman expressed.
The theme for the prom was ‘A Night with the Stars’ because she wanted each one attending
Zhurman.
Much of the event was made
possible through various donations from the community, including dresses donated by the Open Gate Thrift Store. And Pastor Jim Susee was kind enough to host the event in the hall of Dinuba Christian Church.
Even the school cook from Dinuba High School, Rosemary Grijalva got in the mix, as she
said that some students even volunteered to be prom dates at the event.
Said Zhurman, “Just to see their smile, it made it all worth it.”
Though Zhurman will be returning to Ukraine in June, she hopes the event can be continued in her absence. In addition, she hopes to start something similar when she returns home.
Event coordinator Tanya Zhurman poses for a picture with one of the award winners at a special prom held on Apr. 6.
Photo contributed
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