Schools

Whiz Kid: Hillsborough Community College Student Domonic Botto of Brandon and 'Project PROM!'

Domonic Botto graduated from Brandon High, where he learned as an Eagle that involvement was key in both aspiring to and reaching your dreams. His goal is to make prom affordable in trying times.

Domonic Botto is a whiz at putting together a platform for addressing his interests in advertising, sustainability and helping those in need. His most recent endeavor, “Project: PROM!” is a case in point.

Botto, 19, is a 2010 graduate of Brandon High School, where he served on the student government association and learned early on that to get things done you have to be involved.

“That’s where it started, being an Eagle at Brandon, that’s where I learned it,” Botto said. “From day one I was told you have to be involved to make your mark and from that freshman orientation on that was my mentality in high school. I have four years to make my mark, how do I get there?”

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As a student today at the Brandon campus of Hillsborough Community College, Botto is majoring in advertising with a goal of studying advertising and global sustainability at the University of South Florida.

He wants both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree with a concentration in eco-marketing. As he explained it: “Our earth is deteriorating around us and since we’re still living here we can’t keep killing it. It’s important to keep it going for ourselves and for future generations.”

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Which leads us to Project Prom, which Botto said he started, literally, overnight, after hearing of a friend’s co-worker’s plight in keeping her head above water with a low-paying job, federal assistance and an unforgiving economy marked with low wages and higher prices.

“With a high school student at home, how can this woman even think to worry about her child’s prom expenses?” Botto said. “And how many other families are in this situation?”

Botto remembers his own prom expenses.

“Between the limo, the dinner, the hotel and the prom tickets alone, my expenses totaled probably $200 to $300,” he said.

Botto’s premise is simple.

“Basically, project prom is me trying to go through the community to get everyone’s involvement in giving these teens a perfect and safe prom night,” Botto said. “Basically, I’m trying to collect dresses and tuxedos and certificates for any prom-night services, such as dinner, the photography, hair styling, and anything else that goes into having a perfect prom and memorable night.”

The first steps were to launch a social media platform and early interest shows former prom attendees willing to donate their dresses and tuxedos that may or may not need dry-cleaning services, another item on Botto’s wish list.

“An event page on Facebook and a Web site were launched the same night that I came up with the idea and they’re both still works in progress. People are being invited every day,” Botto said. “It’s the quickest way to get it from an idea in my head to a project in the community.”

For Botto, the project taps into everything that he strives to study and master.

“It fits with the advertising aspect of it, the eco part of it, with the recycling of prom dresses, and me generally wanting to help other people,” Botto said. “Helping out the community, and remembering my experience at prom, it seemed like a little something that I can do that can help teens in need and hopefully inspire others to do the same.”

 To get the job done, “there’s no need to be rich, there’s no need to be famous,” he said. “It just takes the will of the people involved.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here