Some high school seniors can’t afford caps and gowns for graduation

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KRIS) - For many high school seniors, walking across the stage in cap and gown is a long-awaited milestone. But for some students in the Coastal Bend, that dream may be out of reach.

Giancarlo Mangiarulo is a senior at Carroll High School and works at his family’s business.

Recently, he found out many students at his school and across the community won’t be able to walk across the stage at graduation because they can’t afford a cap and gown.

“Every kid wants to walk the stage,” Mangiarulo said.

But with prices of caps and gowns going for $50 to $70 and even higher, the high school senior says he doesn’t want any of his peers to miss out on this milestone.

Although he is eligible to get his cap and gown for free through the school, he’s going to buy his own and donate the free one to a student in need.

“I just want to help those people out. It’s a surreal feeling,” Mangiarulo said.

Christa Creek with Communities in Schools says she and her team work with over 16 school districts in the Coastal Bend area. Her team is asking people to donate their caps and gowns to the schools they graduated from in an effort to help the students.

Creek said for the past 10 years, she’s seen more and more students unable to afford their caps and gowns. This year, so far, she says they have bought at least 570 caps and gowns. But that’s not enough.

“We have spent a little shy of $27,000 on caps and gowns this year and there’s still a need,” she said.

If a student can’t get a cap and gown by graduation, they won’t be able to walk the stage - a feeling that Mangiarulo says he doesn’t want anyone to feel.

“If you can donate, do it,” he said.

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