LAUSD Students Treated To Free Prom Dresses, Makeup Tips

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Call it the ultimate prom shopping experience - except these prom outfits are free.

"Prom is expensive, the dresses, heals, it's a lot of money to pay," said student Sinai Mendiola. "I wanted to go to prom but that was an obstacle."

Mendiola was thrilled to learn she was chosen to participate in Operation School Bell Prom day, an annual event providing prom dresses, shoes, jewelry and even makeup tips to specially selected girls from 17 LAUSD schools.

Under Operation School Bell, 70 students - many of them are homeless, living out of cars and in shelters - were selected to choose prom dresses from a "pop-up" boutique for the first time.

"Being here, seeing this, seems so unreal to me," Mendiola said.

Style volunteers were on hand to help the girls find their perfect "look", strengthening the fabric of a dream prom night.

"It's a pleasure, I didn't even know something like this could happen that people would do this, it's generous, people think about other people that aren't as fortunate and can't have a nice prom or a nice dress," said Mendiola.