A Different Kind of Prom by Anna Grace

A Different Kind of Prom by Anna Grace - March 2026 Scholarship Essay

People often think changing the world requires something huge, but sometimes it happens in moments as simple as a prom night. I learned a lot about myself as I experienced an unforgettable prom. When I was in high school we had a new student, Jenson Day, join our freshman class. Little did I know how much Jenson would change my life. We were all told he was "different" because he has cerebral palsy. We were told that we should be kind, understanding and patient. Cerebral Palsy is a group of permanent movement disorders affecting muscle tone, posture, and motor function, often caused by abnormal brain development or injury. Jenson’s diagnosis was given to him at birth. Ironically, Jenson and I attended the same church nursery class as babies. My Mom volunteered in this class during this time and remembers caring for Jenson in the nursery room. After a few years Jenson started going to another church. Years later, I was reunited with Jenson, which was the day that he began as a new student in our high school. Over time, Jenson and I became close friends. While most people struggled to understand his words, I tried my best to understand what he was saying so I could communicate better with him.

Years after our first time meeting in the nursery class at my church, Jenson and I attended a prom together at this same church. Every year, Hillvue Heights Church, hosts an event called Jesus Prom. This is a prom for anyone with a disability to be able to experience all the fun and excitement of a high school prom. I decided Jenson deserved to experience a beautiful night at prom just as much as anyone else! I invited him to Jesus Prom with me; he agreed and the date was set. That night they rolled out the red carpet and once we were in the dance room he happily “danced” the night away with me even though he was in his wheelchair. We took a limousine ride around the church, and we enjoyed dinner together. I helped feed Jenson his Chic-fil-a sandwich meal since he struggles to eat by himself. Essentially, I was his caregiver for the evening, as well as his friend and prom date. I have helped him during school lunch at times as well, so it was not too challenging. Several people told my mom that they noticed how strong our friendship was and how impressed they were with our relationship and communication throughout the evening.

Our prom experience was three years ago, however, I learned so much about people with disabilities and how important it is to treat them with kindness. Jenson and I remain good friends. Currently, Jenson is taking his disability and changing the world with it. He has written several books with the help of his parents. He is now educating people to understand those with different abilities by sharing his books and speaking at public events with his parents. He is sharing his message "Different People Change the World" so that others will understand how to be kind to people with disabilities. This is what I tried to show him the night of Jesus Prom. Even though I thought the night was all for him, I learned several things about myself that night. I enjoyed myself more than I thought I would and it was a lot of fun! One of the biggest things I learned was that Jenson has helped shape my future career. I would like to become an occupational therapist with a certified animal therapy dog. I want to continue to help different people to better improve their quality of life so that I can continue to help Jenson and people like him change the world.