Believe in the Spirit
The fall, Padua hosted their second annual fashion show event, “Believe in the Spirit”. The event opened up with a silent auction and basket raffle with many exciting prizes, such as a flat screen TV, restaurant gift cards, “Getting Ready for College” and “Let’s Go to the Dance” baskets, and many more. Guests milled around the library and hallways, placing raffle tickets in bags or writing down their bids, in hopes of winning a special prize. The Cafetorium was transformed into a glamorous dining room and fashion showroom, complete with glittery organza suspended from the ceiling and a professional runway down the middle of the room. Once you entered, it was easy to forget this was the room where we eat lunch every day.
After the guests had a chance to place their bids, a delicious “High Tea” was served, with finger sandwiches, miniature cakes and of course, tea. It was a very “girlie” menu. As guests enjoyed their meal, excitement increased as winners were announced. The high point of the auction was when Mr. Kifer announced the winner of the Mystery Prize – black and white, his and hers, iPad2s. While this was going on, the back stage was buzzing with energy as the models and sign holders got their hair and makeup done in preparation for the show.
Finally, it was time for the show to begin. Mrs. Mann began the occasion by strutting down the runway to “Walking on Sunshine,” as only Mrs. Mann can do. In addition, she made an opening speech, complimenting all the students involved. Her upbeat and cheerful words gave the models the reassurance and confidence they needed to do a great job. Following Mrs. Mann’s commentary, Mrs. Shaw- Giaquinto and Mr. Kifer, the hosts of the afternoon, gave their introduction and the fashion show began.
The models were stunning, with hair and make up by Pasche, a local salon, and the girls wore beautiful outfits they borrowed from local boutiques. The volunteer models, consisted of eighty Padua girls and twenty-five Sallies boys. Accompanying these juniors and seniors, a few adorable children modeled clothes from Hansel and Gretel, a children’s clothing store in Wilmington. They made their way down the runway with cute skits and festive dances to special songs provided by the DJ. Each segment fit perfectly with the store and the clothes they wore, making each one memorable. Whether it was being crowned Prom King and Queen while modeling handsome tuxedos and beautiful prom gowns or dancing to “Baby, it’s Cold Outside” in all fur attire, each store’s segment was very entertaining. The models wore outfits from trendy stores including White House Black Market, NV Boutique, Claire’s Formal Wear, Apricot Lane, The Gap, and much, much more. Even more exciting, however, there were some fashion designs created by one of our very own Padua students, Olivia Fierro. A student of our Textiles and Clothing class, Olivia designed and made two casual outfits and a prom gown. The models wore the outfits in one of the segments. The show came to an end as the models participated in the grand finale, parading around the room in their outfits, clapping and dancing, and ending the afternoon on a fun note.
