LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Though it’s still a few months out, if you ask any high schooler, they’re likely already thinking about prom. That’s because there’s a lot to think about: who to go with, how to get there, what to wear and for some, how to pay for it all.
A stress that one Seward mom is looking to ease, while also keeping the memory of her daughter alive.
Four years ago this week, Seward Middle School eighth-grader Norah Neff died in a car crash. While there are many things she won’t get to do, her memory is now the reason some kids can make the most out of one special night.
Norah’s mom, Jessica, remembers her daughter as the kind of girl prom night was made for.
“She loved doing her makeup, loved doing her hair,” Jessica said. “Loved shopping. And she was in eighth grade when she passed away, so we talked a lot about being excited for high school.”
After her death in January 2022, her family knew they needed to keep her memory alive. So after partnering with the Seward County Bridges, the Norah Neff Dream Dress Scholarship was created two years ago. Two hundred dollars is given to five Seward County students to be spent on prom preparations.
“I wanted to do something there’s not a lot of resources for,” Jessica said. “So let’s do something that doesn’t really exist, let’s do a prom scholarship.”
The winners each year are selected by Norah’s mom, Jessica, who sends them a handwritten letter and often goes a step further, paying for corsages and even a trip to the nail salon.
“It’s just great to see that glow up,” Jessica said. “They just look so confident and so proud, which is just so great to see.”
“Norah would’ve been a junior, so it would’ve been her year to go. So I’d love to do something extra special for the kids this year. I just have to think about what it is.”
Donations for the scholarship can currently be made via check by putting Norah Neff Dream Dress Scholarship in the memo line and dropping it off to Seward County Bridges at the Seward Civic Center.
“The pain that you feel when you lose a child is overwhelming,” Jessica said. “Being able to help other people and spread some joy, and share Norah’s joy and picture and continue to do that. It’s just a blessing to continue to be able to do that.”
The scholarship can be applied for by any high school junior or senior in Seward County in need of financial assistance. Those applications, and any questions, can be sent to norahneffdreamdress@gmail.com
The deadline for applying is March 1.
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