As part of their independent study for fashion marketing, four Warsaw Community High School girls have put together a fashion show.
They had a budget of zero dollars to work with to make it happen. Its success will determine their final grade.
"Fashion Takes the Stage" is at 2 p.m. Sunday on the WCHS Performing Arts Center stage. Admission is $1 or one canned food item, with all the proceeds benefitting the Salvation Army.
Senior Katie Hayes said junior Teryn Armstrong and senior Katie Schenkel came up with the idea and it bloomed from there. Instead of taking a final exam for their independent study, the fashion show will be their grade, she said.
"If only two people are in the audience, we're screwed," said Hayes.
"We've done this with no money," said Armstrong.
All the clothes in the fashion show are being provided by Ruby, a boutique store in downtown Warsaw, said Schenkel. Six children, toddler to early elementary school, will model Just For Kids clothing. Hayes said all the teen models are high school girls representing each grade.
Schenkel said there are 21 models, each will model one outfit. Hayes said they did a model search over the course of about four weeks.
"It wasn't a look we were using for our criteria. We wanted girls who were confident, outgoing and who wanted to have fun," said Hayes.
During the show, Hayes, Schenkel, Armstrong and senior Kara Lutes will work backstage to make sure the fashion show goes off without a hitch. Schenkel said they'll make sure all the outfits are shown in the right order, and they'll help dress the models as necessary.
The a cappella group SOAP will perform, including singing two songs before the show begins, said Schenkel.
Besides Ruby and Just For Kids providing the clothing, the students were able to get several sponsors to help them make the fashion show happen.
Bartel Printing Co. is providing the programs and posters. Pizza Hut is providing pizza for an after-show party, while Culligan Water is providing water backstage during the show. J3 is providing hair and makeup for all the models. Providing sponsorship advertising will be 107.3 WRSW and the Times-Union.
"WNDU came and interviewed us and will put us on the news this week," said Lutes. It will air during a morning broadcast with Tricia Sloma.
"We want everyone to feel it will be fun, so everyone can come and have a good time," said Armstrong.The young women said they learned a lot from the experience of putting a fashion show together. Schenkel said they didn't expect it to be as hard as it was. Hayes said they learned more from doing it than what they could have learned through a book only. The more challenging aspect of it, said Hayes, was meeting deadlines and getting people to sponsor it or give donations.
"We really have worked really hard on this," said Hayes.
