A special night for some special students in Kennedale

Red streamers over the cafeteria entrance: Check. Corsage and boutonniere table: Check. DJ setting up the sound system: Check.

The Kennedale High School Special Needs Prom was just about ready to open the spring social season at Kennedale High School on Saturday. Formal tablecloths and flower arrangements adorned the round tables, and there was plenty of space for dancing over by the DJ.

The school’s general prom will be in May, but this night belonged to 15 students, plus their friends and family members, who don’t often get to bask in the spotlight or cut loose and dance.

The Kennedale girls volleyball team gave them that chance for the second year in a row.

Last year about 50 people (students, family members and volleyball friends) attended the first special-needs prom. Saturday’s head count was about 75.

Players sought donations and volunteers from the community to make the prom sparkle. Local companies provided haircuts for the boys, makeup and hair services for the girls, food, beverages and items for goodie bags.

Kennedale Key Club members put together the corsages and boutonnieres, and all flowers and arrangements were provided by the city of Kennedale.

The school district had a prom dress drive to outfit girls in dresses they picked out themselves for the big night.

Many of the 30 volleyball players had already participated in as many as four tournaments Saturday, including those who play for clubs in addition to school competition.

“Everybody helps in different ways,” said head coach Jennifer Patterson, who is in her second year at Kennedale. “They’ve done trash pickup, cleaned up parks. I’m big on servant leaders.”

Baylee Gow, 17 and a junior, helped her teammates set up the buffet tables. Her sister Alex, an eighth-grader, is a special-needs student.

“She’s excited. She’s been talking about this ever since she heard about it,” Baylee said. “I’ll be serving here and just hanging out with my sister.” Their cousin Raeley Crosley, 15, is also a Kennedale volleyball player and was there to help.

Alexis Vega, 19, was first to make an entrance just before 6 p.m., in a glamorous, long, black taffeta gown, crystal drop earrings and rhinestone evening sandals. Her dark hair was in loose curls. She hugged her teachers and whirled around.

“Like my nails? They’re pink,” she said, then “I almost slipped on my dress coming in, a minute ago.”

She prefers the dramatic, she said, and wore an orange and silver dress last year.

Perhaps the most awe-inspiring entrance was that of Xavier Thornton, 17, an impressively tall young man in a black tuxedo with tails, white vest and bow tie. He was somewhat shy and hid his face occasionally, but seemed to enjoy walking about in the finery.

Xavier’s dance partners were his sister Spiria Nash, 15, with an upswept hairstyle and black and white gown, and mom, Laura Nash.

“He didn’t help me pick it out, but he enjoyed being at Beall’s,” Laura Nash said, beaming at her handsome son. “He let the woman there measure him for it, and it took some time.”

As with any prom, each new arrival brought cheers and hugs as participants marveled at jewelry and party clothes.

Margaret Owens, the students’ Essential Academics teacher, was happy to reunite with some of the students who had been at Kennedale Junior High, where she taught three years ago.

“I remember last year [at the prom] when they said they wanted to be just like everyone else at high school,” Owens said, “and they are.”

In the weeks before, they practiced group dancing and social graces, she said.

“One of them told me yesterday, ‘I’m gonna kill it tomorrow,’ ” Owens said.

The dancing started with a little hesitancy, but soon shoes were shed and shirttails set free.

Everyone took a break for food after a while, but the petite-in-pink Peyton Tankersley, 15, couldn’t stay still for long.

She coaxed her friends onto the dance floor as soon as the DJ returned, and before long, everyone was loudly singing along with Taylor Swift on Bad Blood.

“I love it. It’s amazing,” Tankersley said during a short pause. “I get to see everyone here, and I love all types of music.”

Then she leaned close and cautioned a reporter, “If the music starts, I have to leave and go dance.”

She did. And she killed it.

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 4:05 PM with the headline "A special night for some special students in Kennedale."