RMCC Shine Prom celebrates special needs community

Once a year each spring is an affair every high school student looks forward to. The social event of the year, a time to unwind towards the end of school, the one time to get dressed up and party like there's no tomorrow.

The event in question, of course, is prom. But Shine Prom isn't being held at a school, nor in the spring, as is traditional. Shine Prom is held every year at Rocky Mountain Christian Church (RMCC) locations in Frederick and Niwot to celebrate the special needs community and to give those students an unforgettable night full of dancing, games, and fun. This year, Shine Prom was held on Sept. 8.

With the sun setting against the mountains, guests began to trickle in. As each attendee arrived, each with an escort at their side, they received a corsage and a presentation from a dedicated hype man.

Approaching the entrance, they walked a red carpet lined by various student athletes from Niwot High School, shaking pom poms, cheering, and clamoring for high fives. For this occasion, the church lobby had been transformed into a beautiful dance venue with fairy lights, confetti, and balloons.

Inside, a DJ played the latest hits and the dance floor was littered with various characters from the "Star Wars" movies, such as Darth Vader, R2-D2, and Chewbacca. Further in is a sensory room featuring songs from Disney movies such as "Frozen" and "The Lion King," and a game room with crafts, cornhole, and board games.

In the parking lot, guests enjoyed carriage rides worthy of royalty. This, of course, came with the added benefit of getting to pet the horses pulling them. When the guests worked up an appetite, they could grab a plate of soft tacos from the buffet with a large selection of toppings, catered by Fuzzy's Taco Shop.

This year was the eighth Shine Prom and the third year since it expanded to occurring at the Niwot church as well as the Frederick church. At the head of the whole operation is Cameron Miller, the church's Special Needs Director of two years.

This event is no small feat. This year the Frederick campus saw around 135 attendees, and Niwot around 60. As Miller explained. "Each guest is partnered with a buddy, or a volunteer who they just get to experience the night with and just have fun." These volunteers stick with their buddies to make sure their needs are always taken care of.

Unlike most proms, Shine Prom is completely free for each attendee and their escort, thanks to the church's various sponsorships and donations. Hundreds of volunteers from the church congregation band together to cater to the guests by helping to decorate, serve food, run activities, and to clean up afterwards.

Money from company sponsors as well as donations of games and supplies from the congregation help to make this event extra special. "To me, the most rewarding part is that we get to celebrate once a year all together, and that we get to continue to be in relationship with our friends," Miller commented. "I think a lot of times our friends can get tokenized...and we still want them to be a part of the community and our church." Special needs communities far too often get pushed to the back of the larger community, but events like these help to celebrate and cherish them.

Although Shine Prom only happens once a year, RMCC organizes get-togethers every second Friday of each month for members of their Shine community. These Friday nights often feature fun activities like arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, games, and outings. Every Sunday at 10:45 a.m., a special service is held for members of the community at both campuses. Programs like the RMCC's Shine Prom help keep the special needs community feeling welcomed and celebrated.

At most proms, only one couple is crowned as prom royalty, making the titles of Prom King and Queen quite coveted. However, at Shine Prom, each guest proudly walks away with a crown on their head. They end the night on the dance floor by being crowned royalty by their buddy, followed by a big beach ball toss.

Dozens of glitter-filled beach balls bounce around on the dance floor in a spectacular end to the night. Each attendee is sent off with a beach ball and a goodie bag. "My favorite part is that my friends have a place to show up and fully be themselves, and that continues throughout the year," added Miller. "It isn't just a one-off event."