Rhode Island teenager surprises best friend with sweet 'promposal'

WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) — A Rhode Island teen's adorable "promposal" has the school talking.

About a week ago, Emma Prest, a senior at Pilgrim High School in Warwick, wanted to ask her dear friend, Ryan Zawislak, to prom. The pair have been members of school's Unified Program, which offers students of all abilities the chance to get together, play sports, and hang out.

My students are part of the fabric of Pilgrim High School and I’m pleased to be part of it," said Jeanne Miranda, the special educator advisor of the Unified Program. “It’s such a privilege and a delight to be part of a school where the program, even though they’re not academically together with a lot of the other students, they become friends with them and they have the opportunity to make friends. They have the opportunity to play on teams together, and they have the opportunity to do the same thing all high schoolers get to do: have friends and go to dances."

Program members are quite close with one another, so when word spread that Prest wanted to ask Zawislak to be her date to senior prom, everyone was eager to be there for the promposal.

I feel like every movie you see shows that prom is this big thing. You wear the big dress, go to the big dance," said Marin Prest, Emma's sister.

Emma has shown me her dress at least five times," added Keaney Bayha, a member of the program and Emma's partner.

She talks about it pretty much every day at our house," added Marin.

Prest made a poster with the words, "Ryan, will you be my prom date?" In place of the letter "B," she drew an actual bumblebee to stick with the bee theme of the poster.

She’s been asking me to get him balloons for about a week now. She made her poster last week," said Miranda.

With her homemade poster in one hand and balloons in another, Prest made her way into the cafeteria. Zawislak was sitting with other club members and had no idea what was about to happen.

When Prest walked in, Zawislak was shocked and kept repeating, "For me? This is for me?" while wearing a big smile.

Prest asked Zawislak to go to prom and he said yes.

I feel happy," said Zawislak. “I’m going to wear a tie, and a new shoes, and a new coat, and a new shirt."

Prior to Prest's promposal, he surprised her the week before with a ticket to his junior prom. He also made a sign and bought her flowers.

Emma's promposal, we were involved and we knew about but when he asked her, we all were completely caught off guard," said Bayha.

Emma was so shocked, it made it so much more special. I didn’t even know it was happening," added Marin.

According to club members, Prest and Zawislak have developed quite a bond during the last few years. Not only do they play on the school's unified basketball team, but this prom won't be the first dance they've gone to together.

They went to homecoming last year and then they went to the Spring Fling," said Miranda.

Junior prom was this past weekend. Senior prom is approaching and the two are so excited.

I think it’s great that they both get to find the person that makes them so happy," said Marin.

They both wanted to do this, they wanted to make it special," added Bayha.