This year, on April 6th, the district-wide RCSD prom for self-contained students was held at Florence High School. Self-contained students from all around Rankin County gathered for a night of fun! The prom is free to attend and open to all, whether that be family of the students, friends, or even a date! The dance allows students within a self-contained classroom to enjoy the grandeur of prom without the fear of entering a “sensory overload.” The district-wide RCSD Prom for 9th-12th graders in the self-contained classes was started around 2016 by Ashley Hinton, who, at the time, was an inclusion/tutorial teacher at BHS. When asked what inspired her to start this prom, she explained, “My passion has always been to do what I could to meet the needs of all students, especially those with disabilities. Each year, the RCSD Prom was the highlight of my year and I am beyond thrilled to know it is still an annual event.” With lots of discussion and convincing, Mrs. Hinton was able to host the very first RCSD Prom at Brandon High School. Each year, all high schools in the Rankin County School District are encouraged to donate money to provide funds for the prom. The current prom coordinator, Mrs. Tiffany Withers, explains, “With this prom being for self-contained students, we are able to make it sensory-friendly (lights dimmed so not completely dark, music can be quieter and lots of balloons for sensory play)… It’s a lot of work and planning, but it truly is one of my favorite nights of each year!” The prom is a fantastic opportunity for the Rankin County community to show their love for all of its students, and it brings out many clubs and school organizations to volunteer every year.