Teacher Has Big Prom Surprise for Students on 'GMA'
One New York City teacher wanted to give her 80 incredibly hardworking seniors from the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science the surprise of a lifetime: gifting them the most memorable prom of their dreams.
"It was really important to me to make sure my kids that have worked so hard got everything that they wanted," Ingrid Chung, English teacher and senior class adviser, explained today on "Good Morning America" of her surprise efforts.
Completely unbeknown to them until this morning, the Bronx students' dreams of feeling like a movie star on their prom night would come true.
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As Chung's seniors, many of whom she has taught since the seventh-grade, gathered in Times Square on "GMA," they had no idea what all was in store for them.
"Guys, remember that photo booth Ms. Chung wanted you to have? Well, guess what?," co-host Lara Spencer asked the large group of unsuspecting seniors as she unveiled the custom photo booth backdrop made just for them, provided by the Pink Shutter.
The photo booth will not only be at their prom, but it comes with free pictures, as many as they want.
The seniors began screaming in delight, jumping up and down at the thought of their glamorous photos, but the surprises didn't end there.
What's prom without flowers? The students were also informed they'd be receiving corsages and boutonnieres for the big night, thanks to 1-800-Flowers.
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But now what to wear? Hundreds of dresses, provided by Rent the Runway, were wheeled on large racks in front of the young ladies, fresh for the picking and completely free for them to choose and keep forever.
The gentlemen were not overlooked either. Men's Wearhouse turned one of the "GMA" dressing rooms into a full-blown tuxedo shop, providing snazzy outfits for the men to choose, even equipped with tailors standing by to get them fitted.
The overwhelmed students were speechless, with many of the young women covering their mouths in awe the few times they weren't screaming and hugging each other in sheer excitement.
All these seniors have big plans for the future, from getting their masters and becoming a doctor, to going into law enforcement, to becoming a forensic psychiatrist. And with these lofty goals, Chung says she wanted to do her part to make their prom dreams come before they head off to college to make their lifelong dreams come true.
"They've really worked super-hard to get to this point to graduation," Chung said. "They've gone through a lot of obstacles and tough times. We want to make sure they have a prom that is truly memorable and special for them."
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To help make that happen, Chung posted a letter on donorschoose.org asking for help in getting a photo booth at the prom so her students could capture every moment of their glistening, special evening.
"My students" grit and strength should be celebrated every single day," she wrote in the letter.
And now more than ever, they certainly will be celebrated on their magical prom night.