Group plans private prom in New Smyrna Beach as district offers alternatives 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - New Smyrna Beach High School seniors will get a prom after all; however, the private event will not be district-sponsored.

After hearing from the health department who noted guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the district decided to hold alternative events instead. 

When Rob Wilkie heard about the decision, he decided to take matters into his own hands.  Through his organization, Support 4 You, he raised money for an event at the Sugar Mill Country Club in May. 

"I feel like they deserve, you know, to have a prom. Every kid deserves to have it. They should have all the things I had when I was in high school," he said. 

Wilkie enlisted the help of Ashley Lane, a senior at New Smyrna Beach High School, who started a prom committee with a similar idea in mind. 

"We decided as seniors and this being our last prom and for most of us our only prom we really couldn’t let that go," she said. 

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Lane said she feels the event will be safe. 

"We’re gonna follow the guidelines sanitation, temperature checks, don’t come if you’re sick, common sense stuff like that," she said. 

Wilkie started with a goal of $15,000 and says so far his organization has received $12,000 in donations. 

"Businesses and individuals donating and people that are also helping kids that can’t afford it they’re gonna pay for their suits, they’re gonna pay for their tickets the community is coming together which is a great thing," he said.

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