Mays High students get prom gift, college option

Pinky Cole Foundation will pay for prom; Morris Brown College offering admission.

Students at Benjamin E. Mays High School in Atlanta Public Schools are ending the school year on at least two high notes — their prom has a generous sponsor and they have at least one option for college.

The school celebrated Monday after Atlanta entrepreneur Pinky Cole Hayes said she will help sponsor this year’s prom.

“I was the prom queen at my high school, and I cherish the memories I created at my prom,” Cole Hayes said in a statement. “It is important for me to support my community by helping people have experiences that will impact them for the rest of their lives, and I hope that my contribution does just that.”

Cole Hayes is the founder of Slutty Vegan, a restaurant specializing in plant-based foods. The business has grown from its original location in the West End neighborhood to several Atlanta-area locations and cities including New York, Dallas and

Birmingham. She also founded Bar Vegan located in Ponce City Market.

The donation from the Pinky Cole Foundation will help pay for the event venue and food, APS said. The prom is scheduled to take place Saturday.

During a school celebration Monday, Mays students presented Cole Hayes and her foundation with an award.

“In recognition of your extraordinary generosity and unwavering support towards the success and enrichment of our students, with profound appreciation we acknowledge your dedication to shaping brighter futures and creating memorable experiences for generations to come,” senior Tamar Echols said.

In addition to the prom news, graduating seniors at Mays will be granted admission to Morris Brown College, thanks to a partnership between the two schools. Students with a 2.0 grade-point average are able to attend the historically Black college. Morris Brown President Kevin James told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the idea is to provide access. Students aren’t obligated to enroll and they will have to meet the school’s academic standards to stay.

“You have to show satisfactory academic progress, which means you have to at least have a ‘C’ average,” James said. “This was access, an opportunity moment for students, and I hope as many as possible will take advantage.”

James said about 30 Mays students have shown an interest in the offer so far. He said the school’s valedictorian and salutatorian have been offered full scholarships and acceptance to the President’s Honors College.

“I know they have a lot of options, but now Morris Brown is another option,” James said.

Although Mays is the first high school Morris Brown has partnered with in this way, James said there could be more in the future.

The bright spots come at the end of a difficult 12-month period for the school. Last May, 16-year-old Bre’Asia Powell was shot and killed during a gathering outside the high school. In February, four students were shot in a Mays parking lot. The injuries were non-life-threatening. A fellow student was charged in the incident.

The shooting prompted school leaders to hold two summits for students in March that focused on developing social skills, healthy relationships and self-care.

COURTESY Atlanta entrepreneur Pinky Cole Hayes presented Mays High with a $10,500 check Monday to help pay for the venue and food for this year’s prom. She noted the memories she had made as a prom queen as a reason for the donation.