Weston Students Zoe Sheinberg and Zoe Parry

Whiz Kids: Zoe Sheinberg and Zoe Parry

Whiz Kids’ Year in School: Seniors

Whiz Kids’ School:

Whiz Kids' Accomplishments: Seniors helped initiate and run first
Princess and the Prom drive.

Whiz Kids' Key to Awesomeness: The Weston seniors have started what they hope will become a school tradition to help girls who need of prom dresses.

Sheinberg came up with the idea after reading Seventeen magazine last
month and after seeing how celebrities were wearing nice dresses,  she wondered how she could help other girls do the same for a special occasion like the prom.

Weston principal Lisa Wolak and other appropriate staff were then presented the idea and an affiliation with the four-year-old charitable organization — Princess and the Prom — as made.

The organization, based in Granby, was created to provide free prom dresses to any area high school girl who might not otherwise be able to afford one,  according to a promotional flyer about the event.

“It’s been going really well,” Sheinberg said. "Twenty-five out of the goal of
50 had been collected by the middle of last week."

According to the flyer, ideal donations include dresses within the last five years in excellent condition and in ALL sizes and colors; purses; fancy jewelry; and wraps or shawls.

Dresses should be formal gowns or fancy party dresses. The guidelines also call for dresses to be dry cleaned by sponsor Best Cleaners with accessories stylish in
nature and in excellent condition.

During the collection from March 4 to March 11, 11 gowns were brought to Weston and will be displayed at a giveaway event March 25 to 27  at the Hilton Garden Inn on Day Hill Road in Windsor.

Pre-registration is mandatory. Friday hours are from 3 to 9 p.m. and Saturday hours are 9 to 5 p.m. Visit www.PrincessAndTheProm.org for more information.

In addition to being on the prom committee at Weston, Parry also is involved in student government and in charge of her own charity: Charity Birthday
Parties by Zoe. The charity contributes money from birthday parties to
various other charities around the community,  including Americares, Builders
Beyond Borders and the Weston Food Pantry.

 “I love being a leader,” Parry said, noting that nore information can be found at www.charitybirthdayparties.org.

While Weston students can benefit from the efforts of Sheinberg and Parry, any female high school throughout  Connecticut can participate.

Parry is headed to the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where she will  is major in hospitality.

Sheinberg, who will attend Penn State to major in psychology, also is involved with ADAP (Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program) and is on the board of Saferide of Weston,  which provides safe rides home to students who feel unsafe in their surroundings.

The 2011 Weston High School junior and senior Prom will be held May 20 from 8 to 12 a.m.  at the Greenwich Hyatt.  It will be up to this year’s junior class to continue what the Sheinerg and Parry have started.

“Hopefully,  they will want to continue it,” Sheinberg said.