A terrific venue, a sold-out home, impeccable execution and the unwavering willpower of Indian River Constitution Excessive College college students, workers and fogeys resulted in a extremely profitable Style for Freedom fundraiser.
The distinctive occasion raised funds to assist Sophia Hlushchenko, now a 16-year-old Constitution pupil, who was safely transported out of Russian-occupied Ukraine and into Vero Seashore as a pupil within the faculty’s Visible and Performing Arts program due to your entire faculty’s tireless efforts.
When Sophia utilized to Constitution greater than a 12 months in the past, she and her mom have been in hiding from the occupying Russian military. The teenager was trying to proceed her education on-line as an alternative of attending a Russian faculty, as was required of all Ukrainian college students.
When she was accepted by Constitution, the method to convey her over started in earnest. As everybody began elevating cash for her journey, the varsity labored with the nonprofit Worldwide Cultural Alternate Providers group to expedite the required paperwork.
Collectively, they noticed the plan come to fruition and Sophia, touring alone, made it out of Ukraine, to Warsaw after which Frankfort. Lastly, exhausted and thrilled, she met her host household on the Orlando airport for this subsequent stage of her life as a VAPA pupil.
“I really feel so welcome right here. Constitution looks like my second residence,” mentioned Sophia, who’s being hosted by a beneficiant beachside Constitution household.
On the night of Style for Freedom, the spectacular Constitution Corridor had been splendidly reworked right into a New York Style Week venue, full with distinctive lighting design, an extended, elevated runway, rows of seating, and an air of anticipation. The fashionable black-and-white theme was completely punctuated with sunflowers (soniashnyk), Ukraine’s nationwide flower.
Throughout a pre-show VIP celebration, amidst music and animated dialog, environment friendly pupil servers moved among the many visitors providing mock-tails and attractive hors d’oeuvres offered by Wild Thyme Catering utilizing Ukrainian recipes.
Quite a lot of tempting silent-auction objects included an attractive pink and blue beaded necklace made by Sophia’s mom, who stays abroad. And the present’s Style Sponsors, Patchington, In Movement and Seahorse Lane Boutique displayed an assortment of things from their outlets.
Present host Michael Naffziger, assistant principal/artist director, kicked issues off by introducing Sophia herself because the emcee. After sharing that she had been learning English for six years, Sophia dealt with the section intros with allure and poise. She had additionally designed the present program.
David Mundy and VAPA musicians cranked up the celebration vibe with upbeat jazz and set the right strut-your-stuff tempo for the distinctive pupil fashions, who had been educated by skilled fashions Shawn Huddleston and Taylor Benoit.
The younger women and men delighted the cheering viewers as they conquered the runway, nailing the stroll, angle and blase demeanor as in the event that they’d finished it for years.
The primary section, Style Via the Eras, featured 10 appears to be like created by the scholars, masking historic eras from Center Ages to Postmodern. Fringe was the secret as fashions showcased Patchington’s look; neon pinks and greens highlighted the athletically fashionable In Movement outfits; and delicate materials and a scrumptious Vero-centric bag beguiled from Seahorse Lane.
The scholars additionally modeled a Thrifty Style section, the place every mannequin put collectively a whole outfit from a thrift store spending not more than $20, and so they all got here up with some inventive, but very wearable appears to be like.
Images by Joshua Kodis
