Swirls of color fill the green room in the performing art center, as students rush to make final touches on their fashion pieces. Cotton balls, newspaper and glue guns are sprawled all over the counter tops. Last minute advice is given to the models as they prepare to strut down the runaway. After months of preparation, students await the annual Junk Kouture fashion show to begin.
Led by Social Justice Pathway History and English teachers Kenneth Tinsley and Keith Tocci, sophomores in the program began the project in March by researching their country in assigned groups.
Tocci said after studying, researching and conducting interviews, students did deeper analysis through developing metaphors on the countries that interested them.
“They worked on developing thematic metaphorical understandings of the stories they uncovered through their research and work,” Tocci said. “And then those thematic metaphorical understandings were translated into these dresses.”
SJP sophomore Katherine Garr said her group related their country, the Philippines, to a pearl.
“Our metaphor was pearl in the ocean and it related to my country because pearls are made from debris and rubble and it turns into something beautiful and the Philippines had to go through hardships and overcome obstacles to become beautiful,” Garr said.
According to Tocci, one of the main purposes of the project was to give students experience with working in groups.
“Our Junk Kouture fashion show is first and foremost an opportunity for our students to come together and accomplish something as a group,” Tocci said. “SJP is all about group work, having actual audiences and giving students an opportunity to work together to create something that isn’t just for teachers, but something that goes beyond the classroom.”
Tocci said there were a couple takeaways he hoped the audience would have after watching the runway.
“I think the first piece is surprise and awe at what the students have been able to put together based on what they collected,” Tocci said. “But beyond that, a unique lens on world issues and questions that they may or may not already be familiar with or aware of.”
After weeks of collecting recycled materials, getting feedback from upperclassmen, and building the fashion piece, SJP students showcased their dresses on the runway in the Performing Arts Center.
Garr said she felt glad that the pieces they had worked on for so long were being displayed to an audience.
“As the dresses were being shown, I felt very accomplished and all of the work had paid off because we had spent so many months on it,” Garr said.
This project was one of many that the SJP program holds in order to help better educate students on social justice issues.
Garr said SJP project’s have helped her learn more about different countries, as well as bolster her team building skills.
“I learned a lot about my country,” Garr said. “From this project and SJP as a whole I have learned how to work as a team and how to effectively communicate.”
Garr said she wanted the dresses to display the hard work all the groups put in during the 3 months they spent working on it.
“I wanted the dresses to convey to the audience the hard work we put in and how much we learned about our country,” Garr said.
The SJP program continues to help students learn team building skills and address and raise awareness on global issues as it did through the fashion show.