“It’s about honoring who Tiffany was,” Wright said. “And it’s about reminding these kids that they matter. Even if it’s just for one night, that night can mean everything.”

Next to the Dollar General store in Quitman sits a storefront whose sign also advertises owner Nikki Wright’s real estate business. But every year around this time, the store – Trixie Mae’s – transforms into something almost magical. As prom season approaches, the lights often stay on well after 5 p.m., and if you pass by, you’ll likely hear laughter and the sounds of memories being made.

Girls from all over step inside Trixie Mae’s to find “the one” — the perfect dress for the perfect night. Nervous first-timers catch their reflection and smile a little wider. Strangers meet in the shop, become each other’s biggest hype squad, exchange numbers, and leave as friends. Mothers, grandmothers, and aunts stand by, too, forming core memories as they bond over sequins, ruffles, and beautiful fabrics. And somewhere between safety pins and last-minute alterations, Wright is doing what she does best — helping young people feel seen.

At the heart of that work is the Tiffany Tant Scholarship, a dress-and-expenses scholarship Wright created in 2022 to honor a high school senior who died in a tragic accident in December 2021. Tiffany had shopped at Trixie Mae’s for her junior prom, and the impression she left lingered.

“She was a helper,” Wright said simply. “So many girls would come in and tell me stories about Tiffany helping them with schoolwork, church, or just being there when someone needed it. I wanted to honor that.”

So, with Tiffany’s family’s blessing, Wright launched the scholarship less than a month after Tiffany’s death. Each year, nominations come in from teachers, parents, friends, and sometimes the girls themselves. Sometimes the winner is obvious — a name submitted by multiple people, a story that resonates with everyone who reads it. Other times, the decision isn’t so clear. In those cases, Wright redacts the names and shares the stories with a small group that helps review and choose a recipient. Tiffany’s mother is among those who help choose a winner when choices are especially close.

The recipient receives a prom dress from the shop, along with support for the night itself: shoes, hair, makeup, and even gas money if that’s what’s needed. Local businesses such as Hinds Metal Buildings, and other community members, often contribute to the fund.

“Prom isn’t a necessity,” Wright said. “But, for some kids, it might be the one night they get to forget how heavy life feels. If we can give them that — just one good night — it matters.”

Tiffany’s mother, Lynn Tant, sees the scholarship as a way to keep her daughter’s light shining. Tiffany frequently volunteered at church, helped younger children, and looked out for her classmates.

“She’d be smiling down on this,” Lynn said. “She loved sunflowers, and we always say: ‘Be like a sunflower — stand tall and face the sun.’”

The scholarship is only one piece of what happens at Trixie Mae’s. Wright’s ‘why’ for creating this business speaks volumes about who she is — a helper, a listener, a doer. Before opening the boutique, she spent years working in law enforcement, where she investigated crimes against children. The work changed how she sees young people, and deepened her determination to show up for them. Throughout her career, Wright encountered countless girls in need. Prom, for many, was an afterthought — something they dreamed about but couldn’t afford to make a reality.

“I’ve seen what happens when systems fail kids,” she said. “Here, I get to decide, in real time, how to help. If a girl needs a dress, we figure it out. If she needs more than a dress, we figure that out, too.”

That flexibility is intentional. Wright didn’t start this business to chase profit. Though Trixie Mae’s is a business on paper, she keeps overhead low and pours earnings back into helping families. Over the course of a season, Wright helps about one hundred girls find dresses — nearly 15 percent from outside Wood County, with some traveling from Canton, Dallas, and even out of state. Many return years later with younger sisters. 

Wright remembers their dresses. She remembers their stories.

“Some of these girls have never worn a dress,” she said. “They don’t see what the rest of us see in them. By the time they leave, they’re standing a little taller. That’s the good stuff.”

Wright calls them “my girls.” Not because she owns their moment, but because she cares about it. Prom night becomes a core memory, and sometimes a turning point. When life shifts later, Wright hopes they remember they have a place to come back to.

As for the Tiffany Tant Scholarship, Wright plans to continue it as long as the community continues to support it. In some years, there is enough funding to help more than one student. The deadline moves with the season, but the heart behind it remains the same. Nominations for this year’s scholarship are being accepted through the month of February.

Tiffany loved sunflowers because they face the sun. In the glow of prom-night lights and in the confidence blooming in each girl who walks out the door, her legacy still faces the sun.