Angela Isalgue, a sophomore at Palmetto High, spent less than a month collecting prom dresses for girls with cancer so they could attend the Unforgettable Prom. In that short period of time, she and her friend Kristen Chao gathered 150 dresses to donate to the prom.
“I gave, like, five dresses,” she says. “They weren’t long dresses, they were cocktail dresses. I had somebody who gave 18 dresses. There were lots of designer dresses. Some dresses I wanted to keep for myself, but I was thinking these girls deserve them more than I do.”
The donated dresses included some custom dresses that girls had made for a prom and never wore again. Isalgue and Chao became involved because her older sister is good friends with the founder of the Unforgettable Prom.
“My sister sent me flyers,” Isalgue says. “I handed out some to my friends. I sent out text messages and emails, and my mom and sister sent out emails. I posted on my Facebook, too.”
The response was immediate and overwhelming. “Every day we would get new dresses,” she says. “We made it easier for people to donate by going to their houses to pick up the dresses.”
Isalgue says there have been other “special proms” in California, but this is the first one held in Florida. She became involved because she wanted to help. “I thought it was an opportunity to give these kids a night that they will remember for the rest of their lives,” she says. “It’s rewarding to know you have done something positive and that you’ve helped somebody.”
The hard work she and Chao put in was recognized with an invitation to the event. Isalgue says didn’t have to go out to buy a new dress, she already had something in her closet that she plans to wear to the prom, which is being held April 30 at the Ritz Carlton.
This isn’t the only community service Isalgue has done. She has participated as a counselor at a several Quest Soccer Camps. “Hopefully I can do it again this summer if I have time,” she says. “I enjoy it. They’re (the kids) funny. They are from Pre-K to sixth grade.”
The soccer camps were held at Westminster, where she attended school until transferring to Palmetto in time for this school year. At Palmetto, she made the girls’ soccer team, which is no surprise since she’s been a varsity soccer player since she was in the eighth grade. She’s versatile, so she can play a variety of positions on the soccer team.
“I can play anything except for goalie,” she says.
With her help, the Palmetto soccer squad had a good year.
“We were 18-2-and-2,” she says. “We were district champs and GMAC champs.”
The team made it to the regional semifinals where they lost to Lourdes. Isalgue says she is looking forward to next year because the team’s prospects look good.
“We only lost two seniors,” she says. “We want to win states next year.” Isalgue also plays on a club team, Cutler Ridge Soccer and she used to play for Miami Premier.
In the past, she played tennis and volleyball, but is now concentrating on soccer. “It’s been the sport I’ve enjoyed the most out of all the sports that I’ve tried,” she says.
