Ever since she was about 8 years old, Chloe dreamed of twirling from one side of a ballroom dance floor to another while wearing a sparkling tiara and a beautiful white gown. That wish came true for her at 17, when Chloe, whose nickname is Princess Tia, and other students from New York City Public Schools participated in the first New York City Debutantes and Beaus Ball.
According to Chloe, “I’m truly grateful for the memories, lessons, and experiences the debutante ball has brought me. It has been a remarkable journey of growth, self-discovery, and empowerment. I feel so blessed to know that I have gained a new family — people who can assist me, support me, and inspire me. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
NYC Her Future and NYC Young Men’s Initiative funded the program. REACH Educational Solutions coordinated the ball through the NYC Department of Education’s My Brother’s Keeper/My Sister’s Keeper NYC. The Phenomenal Women Empowerment Alliance was a supporting organization that provided programming.
Debutantes and beaus dance the waltz (left to right): Salvador, Elika, Brenda, Sebastian, Elika, Adrian, Oumou, and Peniel. (Photo courtesy of REACH Educational Solutions) 
Group photo taken after the debutantes received their pearls and the beaus received their cufflinks. (Photo courtesy of REACH Educational Solutions) 
From left to right: Levon, Momar, Miguel Martinez (president of That Smooth Luxury Grooming for Men of Color), Aaron, Sabrina Martinez (president of Phenomenal Women), Guervendy, Shamari, Jahleel, and Sharif. (Photo courtesy of REACH Educational Solutions) 
Debutantes reciting “Ego Tripping” by Nikki Giovanni (left to right): Carmen; (second row left to right): Nowinde, Fatoumata, Mia, Ashanti, Massengy, and Angelina; third row (left to right): Yuliana Elika, Amaya, Amaya, and Dismeily; fourth row (left to right): Fatoumata, Brianna, and Angel. (Photo courtesy of REACH Educational Solutions) 
Debutante Chloe, 17. (Photo courtesy of REACH Educational Solutions) 
Beaus during an etiquette class led by Miguel Martinez (front, right to left): Miguel Martinez shaking Marco’s hand with Juan, Peniel, Kingston, and Aaron looking on. (Photo courtesy of REACH Educational Solutions)
Nearly 200 attendees at the ball witnessed the culmination of a program representing the debutantes’ and beaus’ rites of passage into adulthood.
Levan, 17, was one of 64 participants from four boroughs. This beau smiled while saying, “I had no experience with dancing for a ball. It’s such a new experience that I don’t believe a lot of kids around my age have, and it was really wonderful to be able to learn something as unique as we did. For the ball, it was really well-orchestrated. Everyone looked amazing in their gowns and tuxedos … that experience is not something we’re really exposed to and I hope more experiences like this will come up.” Levan, a recent high school graduate, will be staying in New York and attending Hunter College in the fall on a full academic scholarship.
Dr. Monica George-Fields, president and CEO of REACH Educational Solutions in Harlem, also said the ball was a beautiful experience. It was a whirlwind: In five weeks, participants were recruited, and after orientation, they attended classes twice a week, and shopped for gowns and tuxedos before the ball was held on June 1.
George-Fields, who is a member of the New York Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., said, the ball “will likely serve as a lifelong impetus for high standards and the foundation for well-developed self-esteem.”
The program was for 10th- to 12th-grade students “who demonstrated a mentoring and leadership spirit, had explicit post-high school graduation plans, and maintained a solid academic standing. The ceremony served as an introduction to society, where the girls and boys showcased their talents and commitment to becoming role models for other children in their schools and community. After engaging in a community improvement or advocacy project, etiquette classes, classic ballroom dance lessons, and talent development sessions, the debutantes and beaus were introduced to their families and other distinguished educational and community leaders as rising responsible adults.”
George-Fields hopes continued funding will be available to continue the experience, which included ballgowns, tuxedos, and gifts of pearls and cufflinks for the participants.
In addition, instructors covered topics like self-esteem, the art of using your voice, entering a room with confidence, and reading and owning the room.
Chloe called George-Fields an “inspiration and an amazing person,” and said one day “I look forward to telling this story to my grandkids because ever since I was little, I dreamed of having my own little ball or a coronation, and this was a dream come true for me. It was so emotional. I felt needed. I felt loved.”
For this debutante, her biggest lesson is “anything you put your mind to, you can achieve it. No matter where you come from, no matter what you do, you could achieve it. As long as you put your mind on a goal, even the impossible can become possible.”