By Shelby McDonald/Special to the Journal Pioneer
KENSINGTON – It took awhile for Alicia Silliker to decide which dress to pick for her Senior Prom this year.
She fell in love with a black strapless mermaid-style dress she found at Casley's Bridal Boutique.
"I bought it before I even got a date," she said.
And as soon as her friend Nicole Mountain saw a pink strapless with floral accents decked out with sequins on top, she knew she had to have it.
Then, there are dates, shoes, jewelry, hair and make-up to think about. But one thing neither girl is booking is a tanning appointment.
The two Kensington Intermediate Senior High students are behind the second year of the Plan Not to Tan campaign within their school.
"Our goal is to inform senior high students of the dangers of tanning beds and UV rays. We are encouraging students to embrace their natural skin tones," said Silliker.
A former Kensington student came up with the idea last year after her friend's mother was diagnosed with skin cancer.
The campaign asks students attending the senior prom to pledge not to use tanning beds and to be sun safe leading up to the big night.
People have been supportive, said Mountain.
"After our first day of the campaign we already got 23 signatures."
The girls know many teens use tanning beds, especially in preparation for prom. But there are scary statistics to back up the argument this isn't a good idea.
"According to statistics, melanoma is the most common form of cancer among those between the ages of 15 and 29. By using a tanning bed, they are increasing their chances of getting it by 75 per cent," said Silliker.
Society tells us bronzed skin is beautiful and pale skin is not, said Mountain.
"Girls want to look and feel beautiful at their prom, so they choose to tan to achieve this. They think that their prom gowns will look better if they are tanned," she said. "But they do not take the risks into consideration."
Both girls agree it's not worth it.
"The negatives of using a tanning bed certainly outweigh the positives."
Silliker knows everyone will look beautiful at prom no matter what.
"However, they should learn to embrace their natural skin tones. Their natural look is beautiful and people need to know that," she said.
"The false idea that in order to look good at prom, you have to be tanned, needs to be abolished. If they still want to tan, they can use alternative methods which are safer, such as spray tanning."
