Night to Shine Prom Celebrates Special Needs Teens in Augusta

The annual event hosted 200 honored guests with the help of over 600 volunteers.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Night to Shine prom experience took place on Friday night at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia, celebrating special needs teens with a full prom experience. The event served 200 honored guests with the help of more than 600 volunteers, providing activities like a red carpet entrance, dancing, hair and makeup services, and party bus rides.

Why it matters

The Night to Shine event aims to create a special night for teens and young adults with special needs, providing them with a memorable prom experience and the opportunity to feel celebrated and valued by their community.

The details

Each honored guest was paired with a volunteer buddy who stayed with them throughout the evening, helping them navigate the various activities. The event included a red carpet entrance, dancing, shoe shines, hair and makeup services, and party bus rides. According to Brandon Lewis, the worship pastor at Warren Baptist Church, the red carpet entrance where guests walked through doors to find 200 people cheering for them with music playing was his favorite part of the event.

  • The Night to Shine prom experience took place on Friday, February 14, 2026.

The players

Warren Baptist Church

The church that hosted the Night to Shine prom experience for special needs teens in Augusta, Georgia.

Brandon Lewis

The worship pastor at Warren Baptist Church who helped organize the Night to Shine event.

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What they’re saying

“It's for anyone with special needs, those who are differently abled, but they just get to come and be celebrated. They get to come and it's kind of like a prom. We have a dance that we have and it's just a time where they have fun.”

— Brandon Lewis, Worship Pastor, Warren Baptist Church (WRDW)

“The buddy is a person assigned directly to the honored guest. They stay with them the whole night. They walk them through the whole process. They're there if they need anything. And they're just there as a friend throughout the night.”

— Brandon Lewis, Worship Pastor, Warren Baptist Church (WRDW)

“It's just being able to get to see people's face when that door flings open. There's 200 people screaming for them, music's pumping, and they just get to walk down and be special.”

— Brandon Lewis, Worship Pastor, Warren Baptist Church (WRDW)

What’s next

The Night to Shine prom experience is an annual event, so the next Night to Shine prom is expected to take place in February 2027 at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia.

The takeaway

The Night to Shine prom experience demonstrates the power of community support and celebration for individuals with special needs. By providing a full prom experience complete with red carpet, dancing, and personalized attention from volunteer buddies, the event creates a meaningful and memorable night for these honored guests, showing that their unique abilities are valued and that they deserve to feel special.