Everyone is a king or queen at SLO County Special Education Prom. Here’s a look
Over a hundred prom kings and queens danced the night away on Friday at a magical and inclusive evening for participants with special needs.
Success Charities’ hosted its second annual Special Education Prom at the Atascadero Lake Pavilion on Friday night.
Guests high school aged and above spent the evening at the Pavilion by the Lake eating pizza and cupcakes, taking pictures with their friends and dancing all night long. There was no age limit for participants.
Streamers, balloons and sparkling hanging stars decorated the hall. A DJ played pop tunes on the stage at the front of the room, standing in front of a neon sign boasting the theme of the night in LED lights: “Let Your Light Shine.”
“This is their night to let their lights shine,” the prom’s organizer and Success Charities founder Elissa Williams told The Tribune.
Second annual Special Ed Prom brought a party to Atascadero
What started with a trial run last year held at Templeton’s American Legion Hall has become the group’s signature event, aimed at providing a night of fun, joy and celebration for individuals with disabilities and special needs in an accessible and supportive environment, Williams said.
“A lot of people say, ‘Can’t they just attend the regular prom?’ Well, they can, but they typically don’t,” Williams said. At the Special Ed Prom, “they were just being themselves,” Williams said.
Originally serving only North County residents, the Special Ed Prom was such a success last year that the charity decided to open the event up to the whole county, Williams said. This year, the event had nearly double the attendance from 2024 with 106 party-goers.
Attendees dazzled the crowd in suits, gowns or their favorite pair of jeans.
Attendees even had the option to get their hair and makeup done earlier that day by local beauticians from the Designs School of Cosmetology and the Wandering Blonde Salon and Boutique, all for free, Williams said.
Guests began arriving around 6 p.m. on Friday evening. Upon entering the foyer of the Pavilion, attendees dressed to the nines were adorned with their choice of a corsage or boutonniere, as well as a crown.
“Everyone is a prom king and queen,” Williams said.
Guests then took the red carpet into the main hall, where they were welcomed with a complimentary “champagne” mocktail — a glass of sparkling apple cider — before getting their picture snapped by paparazzi at the photo booth.
Not 15 minutes into the night, the party had kicked off to a lively start with guests taking to the dance floor the Macarena and other party favorites. Parents stood off to the side as their children celebrated together.
Christine Kelly, a resident of Paso Robles and mother, attended the prom with her daughter Le’a for the second year in a row. After last year, Le’a couldn’t wait to go again.
“Let’s put it this way, she wore her crown for 6 months,” Kelly said.
Le’a was too busy tearing up the dance floor to talk to The Tribune.
Meanwhile, 47-year-old Alison Reisig of Paso Robles was also a second-timer, attending with her friends.
“I’m having fun,” Reisig told The Tribune, her tiara twinkling on top of her head. “I’m rocking it out with the rockers tonight, and I love it.”
Seventeen-year-old Keagan Sullivan, a junior at Atascadero High School, was hoping to hear his favorite song, Brass Monkey by the Beastie Boys.
“I like the harder stuff,” like Black Sabbath or AC/DC, but he didn’t think they’d play that music at the prom, he said.
Around 50 volunteers made the night possible, as well as volunteer vendors like Mad Props Photo Booth and food from Fatte’s Pizza and Vons.
Belnano Coffee also donated coffee for the parents lounge, where parents and caretakers could spend time while the attendees enjoyed their evening.
Angie Rowlett is a mother and soccer coach of the American Youth Soccer Organization EPIC team, standing for Everyone Plays In our Community.
“This is an amazing thing they’re doing for our kids,” Rowlett told The Tribune. “The North County doesn’t have many resources like this, so it’s great to see.”
Ruth Magana, a social worker in SLO County, chaperoned her son Jaydan, a sophomore at Paso Robles High School.
This was his first year attending the prom, and he couldn’t have been more excited, Magana said.
“He was counting the days,” she said.
Success Charities is the philanthropic branch of RE/MAX Success, a SLO County real estate agency.
The charity has held fundraisers for a number of local organizations and initiatives, including the Special Ed Prom, its Project Hope cancer care initiative, student scholarships, the Paso Robles Toy Bank and Loaves & Fishes, which helps provide basic needs for low-income families in and around Paso Robles.
Last year, it raised a combined $44,000 for these projects, Williams said.
To contribute to next year’s causes, you can donate via Venmo to @SuccessCharities805 or visit the website at successcharities.org for more information.
