Abel Romero 21, dances with his friend Faith Romero 19, who are both students at Pojoaque High School and who drove to Santa Fe to attend the event. /Shot for The Santa Fe New Mexican

Tiaras are displayed before the special needs gala for teens, kids and adults begins. Each person upon arrival is named king and queen.

Savaughna Chavez points at the white rabbits clock and exclaims, “late! Late!” This years prom theme was Alice and Wonderland.

Moriah Garcia, 9, yells with excitement as she is escorted into the prom by her grandmother. This was Garcia’s first time attending the event and got her ears pierced for the event. Garcia attends El Camino Rael Elementary School in Santa Fe.

Crystal Velasquez styles the hair of Courtney Roberts, 21, a junior in the Santa Fe Public’s Schools Kiva Program. Roberts has participated in the event for 3-4 years and always looks forward to dancing and seeing her friends. Velasquez was styling as apart of the New Mexico Pink Ladies, who are community advocates who help with homlessness, domestic violence among many other initiatives.

Volunteer, Genesis Baca, 18, left does the make up of Heaven Leigh Patterson, 19, for the fifth Annual Special Needs Prom. Patterson drove down from Pojoaque with her mother to attend the event and will be graduating from the school in two weeks. The gala was created by Yvonne Encinias and Angelique Chavez. Chavez and Encinias were inspired by Chavez’s kids who have disabilities and sought to create an event where people from all ages feel included.

Angelique Chavez greets Rogerio “Roe” Contreras, 23, during the special needs gala event. The event welcomes individuals with special needs from all ages. Chavez was inspired to begin the event due to her two children with special needs.