Saying ‘Yes’ to the dress at Moisés E. Molina High School 

Every spring, test coordinator and asset manager Stefanie Vick transforms her office at Moisés E. Molina High School into a prom dress wonderland. Desks are pushed aside to make room for what is a sea of formal gowns and sparkling embellishments. 

“Some girls could go all out, and I did not want some students to think they could not go all out [too]. I want them to have that opportunity,” Vick said. 

Vick began her career with Dallas ISD 17 years ago, first serving as a history teacher at W.H. Adamson High School and later transitioning to testing coordinator at Molina High School. Driven by her passion for supporting students, she created the prom dress initiative at the school three years ago after recognizing how costly prom can be. 

Vick wanted to ensure every student could attend without financial stress. Starting with her own dresses, she set up a boutique of sorts in her office, allowing students to browse, try them on, and select a dress for their big night at no cost.

“I never ask the girls to return them,” Vick said. “The dresses are theirs to keep. I am just happy that they find something they love—that’s all I care about.”

Over the years, kindness has spread. Friends, family members, community members, and coworkers now donate dresses or help with minor alterations. Local dry cleaners have donated garment bags to protect the dresses during the off-season. 

“We kind of all help out and pitch in,” Vick continued. “If I can’t be here with the students, another teacher comes in and helps them. It’s not just me helping.”

The collection of donated dresses has grown to more than 100, ranging from short to long styles in a variety of colors, sizes, and designs—some still with tags attached.

Senior Karina S. had been searching for a prom dress. When she walked into Vick’s office, she had no idea she would leave with exactly what she had been looking for—a sparkly dress in her favorite color, purple. The moment Karina S. put it on, Vick said her face lit up with a smile. 

“I just tried it, and it was perfect,” she said. “I really loved it. I knew I didn’t need to find another one.”

Over the years, Vick has seen what a perfect dress can do to boost students’ confidence. She has given away about 30 dresses this year alone and around 150 dresses since she started. These dresses are not only for prom, but also for anyone who needs them for dinner or other school events.  

“As long as I help someone, that is all I care about,“ she said.

But the impact of this project extends far beyond the simple distribution of dresses. Vick hopes the experience shows students the power of giving back. 

“I want them to know that they can pass something down,” she said. “I want them to know they can help each other.”

This small act of kindness is already inspiring other teachers to come together to make the students’ night truly special. 

“I’ve had teachers from other schools reach out and say, ‘Hey, can I bring a girl over? She needs a new dress,” Vick said. “Of course I want to help my own students, but if I can help even more girls across the district, I want to keep this going.”