Riverside Marina offers outdoor space so Detroit high school students can celebrate prom

DETROIT (FOX 2) - COVID-19 derailed many plans, including high school dances.

Riverside Marina wants to make sure students are able to celebrate prom by opening up its outdoor space for Detroit schools to hold the dances there.

"We talked about prom all three years prior. We were ready, and we didn't get to go. It was really sad," Sa-Mya Williams said.

Williams graduated in 2020. Like most students who finished high school during the pandemic, she missed out on prom.

Brianna McQuire, a senior at Cass Tech, said she thought all senior year festivities were canceled.

"We weren't able to have homecoming or the pep rally, you know, stuff that we've seen other seniors do, because of the circumstances," she said.

All events weren’t canceled, though, because Cass Tech is one of five schools already signed up to hold prom at the marina.

Riverside Marina in Detroit

Any Detroit high school that wants to host a prom at the marina will have the opportunity to do so this year. And don’t be surprised if you see a guest or two from the class of 2020 at prom

"We wanted to make sure that they are able to have that opportunity if they so choose," said Alicia White, the events manager at Riverside Marina.

White said the marina is looking for sponsors to help offset the cost of hosting the events.

"This is a cost that we are trying to minimize for our schools so we do need assistance in that regard, so we are asking for community support," White said. "It could be a family, a business, an individual, it could be a corporation -- anyone who has a heart for these children."

Sponsorships range from hundreds of dollars to thousands.

If you are interested in being a sponsor or are an official with a Detroit school that wants to use the space for prom, call Riverside Marina at 313-447-5319.