Teenage County Wards Get Their Own Special Night

Lucy Barbic almost didn’t make it to her prom. A resident of a home for emotionally disturbed youths, she ached to sleep in her own bed. So she devised a plan three weeks ago to flee her temporary quarters and spend a night at her mom’s house in San Pedro.

But a staff member at Penny Lane, the nonprofit North Hills foundation that treats the teens, learned about Barbic’s scheme and talked her out of it. If she had gone AWOL she would have been barred from attending Friday night’s prom at the Hilton in Woodland Hills.

“I’m too old to be running away again and messing up,” said Barbic, 18. “The best days of your life are your prom, your wedding, your graduation and the day you have your baby.”

Barbic is on a leadership committee that planned the prom’s “Enchanted Evening” theme--a dark ballroom of night sky filled with shooting stars. She wore a baby blue, Cinderella-like gown that she described as “back in the day,” slang for old-fashioned.

Although several boys had asked her to attend with them, she declined.

“If you go alone it’s better. You can dance with everybody,” Barbic said.

At Least C Average Is Required to Attend

About 40 boys and girls ages 16 to 18 attended Penny Lane’s third annual prom. Eligible students had to earn at least a C average and good behavior marks. They received allowances to cover expenses for tuxedo rentals, dresses, gloves, shoes, jewelry, hairdos and accessories. The girls received corsages, and each teen was presented with a disposable camera.

Penny Lane spent $6,000 on the event, officials said.

Getting their own prom, like other high school students, is important to the teenagers, Penny Lane social worker Bill Parrish said.

“They get to share a night that’s not program-oriented, that is glamorous. It’s a chance to forget why they’re here,” he said. “After midnight, they go back to their regular old clothes, but they’ll have at least the memory of this night.”

Penny Lane residents are wards of the county’s Children and Family Services and Probation departments. The youths, ages 13 to 18, have had stints in Juvenile Hall, foster care or group homes. They have either committed crimes or been abused or abandoned by parents.

Penny Lane, whose official name is the National Foundation for the Treatment of the Emotionally Handicapped, provides about 100 young people with housing, classes and counseling at its cluster of buildings on Rayen Street, east of Sepulveda Boulevard.

Teenagers who attended the prom needed approval from the dean of students, their therapists, social workers and housing supervisors. Fourteen Penny Lane staff members served as chaperons. The usual restrictions were in place: No alcohol, no drugs, no kissing, no profanity and no dirty dancing.

In preparation for the prom dinner, the teens received tips on etiquette (boys should pull out chairs for girls) and the appropriate silverware to use when dining on grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables and strawberry cheesecake.

Excitement Amid Prom Preparations

At Penny Lane’s main building Thursday, the girls dashed back and forth in the hallway showing each other their frilly dresses.

“Nobody here has rubber bands,” complained one girl, holding a hair brush in each hand. “How am I going to prepare my hair?”

“It’s just like some kids on Christmas. It’s the first time some of them are actually dressing up for something,” said Char Jones, a Penny Lane program director who coordinated the shopping trips.

For many of the girls, it was the first time they received manicures or wore makeup, Jones said.

“A lot of toughies are suddenly more sensitive and feminine-acting so they can be more appealing to the guys,” she said.

One “toughie” is Barbic, a self-described tomboy who is the only girl on Penny Lane’s softball team. On Friday night she learned her peers had selected her as prom queen.

Mahdi Williams, 18, was chosen as king.

Not Allowed to Attend Last Year

Denise Brown, 18, said she was not allowed to attend last year because she had been fighting with other kids and disrespecting her teachers.

“This year I’ve matured,” Brown said. “I was scared. I used to think how to overcome fear was to be angry. Sometimes you got to learn the hard way.”

Brown, who wore a glittering blue dress and a blue, white and silver manicure and pedicure, said her friends praised her outfit.

“Everyone said I look beautiful--the best. I don’t know why they’re lying,” she said.

Daniel Bennett, 18, said he overcame a gangbanging life to reach the prom milestone. Walking the streets of Fresno in his baggy pants, he inspired fear and in turn constantly looked over his shoulder for gang rivals.

Now he looks forward to playing football at a community college and becoming a youth counselor.

“I feel I earned it,” said Bennett, who wore a black and white tuxedo and a pearl-colored tie. “It means I came a long way, that I made it in life. I never thought I’d make it to a prom.”

At the Hilton Friday night, Bennett enjoyed wearing his tux.

“I like it. I’m nervous though. It’s different being dressed up,” he said.