DECA hosts fashion show for Make-A-Wish

DECA hosts fashion show for Make-A-Wish

Photo Credit: Rena Machani

Seniors Ciera Dykstra and David Perkins pose before walking in the Prom Fashion Show. Photo Credit: Rena Machani

DECA students at Fossil Ridge High School put on their eleventh annual Prom Fashion Show to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation on Thursday, March 23. This year’s show was in support of Rebekah, a fifteen-year-old whose dream is to travel to New York City to be on Broadway. Rebekah has cystic fibrosis, which is a lifelong disease that affects the cells that produce mucus and sweat. It causes fluids in the body to block tubes and passageways, and makes breathing difficult. Rebekah was originally going to speak at the event, but she was too sick to make it.

Featuring over 80 students from high schools in the Poudre School District and countless others working behind the scenes, this fashion show allows students to check out and model the latest dress styles before prom season, while supporting their friends and giving back to the community. “As a whole, I think it’s really amazing that we’re coming together as not only a school but a community, since there’s more than just people from Fossil and everyone from the community is rallying around this one girl to make sure she can have her wish granted,” said Miss Colorado’s Outstanding Teen and Fossil senior Mackenzie Matz, an emcee at the fashion show. The event is a hit every year, and even students who did not plan or participate in the event enjoyed it. Senior Noah Waters said, “It was really cool to see all my friends strut their stuff and just have a good time.”    

Miss Colorado’s Outstanding Teen and Fossil senior Mackenzie Matz spoke at the event. Photo Credit: Rena Machani

Directors of the show consisted of a small group of DECA seniors who got to gain real-world business and leadership experience by learning how to coordinate the models for the show, find sponsors for the event, advertise, and other logistics that go into making sure the event runs smoothly. On top of this responsibility, the seniors in charge of the show receive little assistance from the DECA advisor, so this is truly a student-run project.

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Lindsey Swanson, a DECA senior, was in charge of organizing the models for the event. She had to be able to coordinate with models’ schedules so they were able to pick up and try on their dresses or tuxes for the show and attend the dress rehearsal and actual event. Swanson was also responsible for contacting the tux and dress sponsors. Swanson said, “The number one thing I learned is how difficult it is to manage a large number of people. I had to problem solve with them to figure out a way for them to be in the show, which was really hard.”  

So far, DECA has raised a total of $5,600 for the foundation, though they still have donations coming in and are planning more fundraising activities before the school year is over. “One of the biggest things we do at Fossil is service learning,”  said Brad Nye, an assistant principal at Fossil. Many students at Fossil have past experience working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and junior Koryn Lee has even felt the impact of the organization directly. Lee, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor, was granted her wish to go to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, which will be fulfilled this summer.

If students still wish to donate to the cause, they can contact a DECA member or the club sponsor, Tanya Alcarez.

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