Lealman Innovation Academy students celebrate first-ever prom
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Wearing elegant tuxedos and gowns, students at Lealman Innovation Academy danced the night away at the school's first-ever prom.
Students were challenged to get graduation and attendance rates up, and their reward to exceeding their goal was a night they'll never forget.
"All the kids were saying, we need a prom, we need a prom," said 10th grade student Markayla Cook. "So, we were all fighting for it."
Students at Lealman Innovation Academy, an alternative school in St. Petersburg, never had a prom. If they wanted their big night, they had to earn it.
"Our scholars were begging for a prom, but I had stipulations," said Principal Connisheia Garcia. "They had to meet graduation and attendance requirements."
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Courtesy of Lealman Innovation Academy
Students took the challenge and danced with it, boasting a near-90% graduation rate in 2021, up almost eight percent from the previous year. It was the largest overall improvement in all Pinellas County high schools.
They exceeded their average daily attendance goal, hitting 74.22%. High schoolers also mentored younger students in reading and reading comprehension.
"Everybody here believes these kids deserve it," said Cheryl Parker Smith, and MTSS coach at Lealman.
And so, prom was on.
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Courtesy of Lealman Innovation Academy
"They have prepared so much with doing fundraisers, donation drives, we've had prom dresses donated, we've had our men's attire donated," said Garcia.
Lealman's cosmetology students provided hair and makeup, their culinary arts handled refreshments, art and music students helped with decorations and tunes.
Party City also donated decorations, including tableware, photo booth stations and balloons.
"Anything to make it fairytale magical," said Shilene Aaron with Party City.
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Courtesy of Lealman Innovation Academy
"I feel happy," Cook said. "This is my first prom ever. I'm looking forward to having fun, having an amazing time and everything."
Along with crowning prom king and queen, they took time to honor students' crowning achievements.
"The prom and academic success kind of goes hand in hand. We wanted to tie those together," said Parker Smith.
Inside this gymnasium, prom wasn't just a dance. It was a celebration of how they got there.
"They'll see that all of their hard work pays off and that we truly love them, we support them, and most of all, we advocate for them, and we let their student voice and choice be heard," Garcia said.
After the dance, staff and students will get right to planning for next year's prom, fundraising and seeking out sponsors that can help keep the tradition going.