Night to Shine honored guest Alexa Newman is trading in blue for maroon.

Last year, Newman participated in the event that creates a prom experience geared toward celebrating students with special needs. This will be Albert Lea’s second year holding a Night to Shine dance, which will take place at First Lutheran Church Friday night.

Newman’s maroon dress is hanging near the entryway of her home, ready and waiting.

“We really do want to just shower our guests … and just let them know how much God really loves them and kind of celebrate with them their unique personalities and giftedness,” First Lutheran Church Pastor Sean Forde said.

Committee member Becky Rognes said this year’s event has grown.

“After last year, the word spread so much about what an amazing night it was, this year it was so easy to kind of get involvement in it,” Rognes said.

Both Forde and Rognes said the event has more honored guests registered than last year, and Rognes said the event has also brought in over 40 high school student volunteers.

“People from the community are really getting behind it,” Forde said.

Jenna Seavey, who is a senior at Albert Lea High School, said she will be volunteering at Night to Shine for the first time Friday.

“A couple of my friends did it last year, and they said it was really fun and it was fun to get involved with all of the special needs students, so I decided I needed to get involved as well,” she said.

Seavey joined in on the planning and has attended meetings since December.

Night to Shine was started by the Tim Tebow Foundation, and 540 churches in 50 states and 16 countries are all participating on the same night. The event is geared toward those with special needs between 14 and 21 years old.

The evening begins at 4 p.m. with hair and makeup for the girls and shoe-shining and tie-tying for the boys. Food is served at 5:30, and at 6:15 the honored guests walk a red carpet with a volunteer from the high school. The dance runs until 9 p.m. There will also be karaoke and a silly photo op. This year, Rognes said the dance will also have a formal photo opportunity for guests.

Throughout the night, there is also a crowning ceremony. Every honored guest receives a crown.

Newman said she liked meeting new friends last year at Night to Shine.

“As soon as you got home last year, you said, ‘I can’t wait to do it again next year,’” Alexa Newman’s mother, Amy Newman, said. She saw the event as more interactive than other dances Alexa Newman had attended. Her daughter found the website and registered herself this year.

Seavey said she is looking forward to seeing everyone walk the red carpet and receive their crowns. She’ll spend the night singing karaoke, dancing with other attendees and helping out at a photo booth.

But both Rognes and Seavey said the night itself is just the beginning.

“It’s not just for fun,” Seavey said. “It’s also to raise awareness for all of our special needs students, and everyone deserves a night to feel special.”

She said she hopes everyone leaves feeling more closer together.

After last year’s event, Rognes said she noticed things happening as the result of the evening: she saw children with special needs doing more with their peers and vice versa.

“I think it’s just opened so many more doors, that yes, it’s a wonderful night to shine, but it’s more than just one night,” she said.