Mia Skaggs, an Edgewood High School junior and a member of the school's First Ladies of Edgewood mentoring group, fought back tears as she described how much the group has helped her and how she wished the group was around when she was a child.
"When I was that 9-year-old girl living in a one-bedroom apartment, the only daughter with nothing but brothers, I wish I had something like this to make me feel important and pretty," she said.
Mia, who is one of about 60 Edgewood students involved in the First Ladies group, spoke during a ceremony Thursday evening to honor fellow EHS students who received free tickets to this year's prom through The Cinderella Project.
The prom will be held this Saturday night at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.
Thirty Edgewood High girls, including some in the First Ladies group, received tickets, and one student, junior Lindsay Busch, won the full "Cinderella experience," which includes a free prom ticket, plus a free dress, hair styling, nails, shoes and makeup. Lindsay was unable to attend the ceremony.
The other girls who submitted essays were eligible for the free prom tickets.
The First Ladies raised more than $6,000 through fundraising activities put on by the students and their adult leaders, through sponsorships from local businesses, community groups, Edgewood High student, faculty and staff and alumni organizations and through individuals or couples.
The money will cover the free prom tickets, the full Cinderella experience and three $750 scholarships that will be given to three seniors during the school's May 27 awards ceremony, according to DeAnn Webb, the adviser for First Ladies.
Starting this week, students can apply for the scholarships, two of which will go to First Ladies members, and one that will go to any EHS girl. Applicants should visit the school counseling office for more information.
"None of that would be possible without our sponsors, without the amount of people who donated," Webb said.
Mia, who is in her first year with the First Ladies, and member Ezinna Adele read their essays. Mia wrote about her thoughts on what the Cinderella Project is about.
"I feel as though writing the essay just makes us realize that we need to take what we have and share with others," Mia said. "Let girls know, that are less fortunate than us or don't understand their worth, that everybody is worth something."
Ezinna wrote about her thoughts on defeating racial inequality.
"The first step in addressing the problem is to remind minorities, especially black females – and males – to love the skin that you're in," she said while reading from her essay. "Yes, there are many shades of people in the world, but why should we aim to be like anyone else? We are diverse, we were created beautifully, and no shade is better than the other."
Ezinna defeating racism is "something that will occur over time, with the power of many voices and many words being spoken by those who have been empowered and enlightened on the issue."
The First Ladies group was started about five years ago, when Webb was an assistant principal at Edgewood. She is currently an assistant principal at Aberdeen High School, but she still serves as the mentoring group's adviser.
Webb told the audience of students, parents and sponsors that girls in the First Ladies group have an array of talents, including music, dance and writing, talents that were on display Thursday with essay and poetry readings, dance demonstrations and a performance by four girls who played "America the Beautiful" on their violins.
"[They are] just a well-rounded group of ladies who continued to make Edgewood High School the amazing school that it is," Webb said.
Another First Ladies member who picked up an award Thursday was Amber Harris. She was recognized for her enthusiasm in being the first to volunteer for the group's projects and activities with the inaugural Glass Slipper award.
"I wanted to make sure that every young lady who has the opportunity could go to the prom," said Chiwy Webster, an EHS secretary and coordinator of the Cinderella Project. "I'm super-excited; I know these girls are going to be so beautiful."