By Daija Moss, 9^th grade Environmental Club Member

It was about 3:30 when I made my way to the Franklin High School cafeteria. As soon as I walked in, I could feel the energy radiating out of the people running back and forth preparing for the 1^st annual spring Eco-Friendly Fashion Show. The Franklin High School Dream Club came up with the idea of hosting an Eco-Friendly Fashion Show to support relief funds to those suffering in Japan after the recent tsunami on March 11^th. Reporters have suspected over 10,000 deaths and estimated 100

billion dollars worth of damage in Japan after the tsunami, which hit the world with a bang.  The FHS Environmental Club, along with the Dream Project Club, decided that our school needed to take action. The two teams decided to host a fashion show that benefitted both clubs and that 100% of the proceeds from an admission ticket (and raffle tickets) would be donated to Japanese relief funds.  Therefore, the annual Eco-Friendly Fashion Show was born.

The FHS cafeteria was booming with students from all grade levels setting up for the show. Even the models, myself included, were pulled in to assist in transforming the cafeteria into a fashion show room.

People were placing flowers by the red carpet and hanging handmade banners and leaves on huge cardboard displays. There were people setting up sound systems and attaching wires to speakers. The scene was even crazier backstage. The models were throwing on makeup and waiting to have their hair done. Some of the models were practicing their walk and their poses up and down the faculty cafeteria.

When two of the UCLA Afterschool Program fashion show volunteers, Jade Archuleta and Jenell Paraiso, came in to check on the girls, I asked how their afternoon was going. All they had time to say was “We’re tired, busy, and it’s hot”. It was a bit hot back in the faculty cafeteria, with all the girls strutting their eco-styles back and forth, as if this was the America’s Next Top Model finale.

When everything was set and the audience (which consisted of a majority of students and faculty) was ready, the models made their way to the runway. Everyone was nervous and excited, even after we were finally off the carpet awaiting the judge’s decision over who won first, second, and third place. The judges for the evening were Claudia Cardenas, Karla Johnson, and Jose Salas.

While the models awaited the judges’ decision, Melinda Conde, head of the FHS Dream Project Club, along with some of the other judges announced winners of the Eco-Friendly supply raffle. All of the prizes were recycled goods donated to the FHS Dream Project Club by FHS sports teams and faculty members. Some of the prizes were reusable water bottles, reusable bags, t-shirts, and more. The props used for the show were sold for a dollar each to further increase the donations collected from the show. The items for sale included banners and flowers used to decorate the room.

Once all the prizes were handed out and most of the props were sold, the judges called all the models onto the runway. Claudia Cardenas, a judge and Magnet English teacher, turned the setting into one that could easily compare to that of Project Runway by calling the “safe” designers forward. In third place was Jenny Huang with her model Daija Moss (me) in an outfit made of old fabric, pajamas, and an old t-shirt. In second was D. with a dress made of material with newspaper along with trash bags and Styrofoam plates, and in first place was Nikki Young along with her model Sabrina Velasco who created a tu-tu made entirely of plastic bags and a hat made of newspaper with bottle caps and marbles.

All the designs and models were brilliant, but the ones who placed received a reusable bag filled with t-shirts, stickers, Jamba Juice Gift Cards, Rainforest Alliance Coffee, and more. After the show ended, samples of spices from The Spice

Hunter, Vegan Jerky, Seaweed Strips, Organic Juice, and Organic crackers were handed out.

The show was a success and everyone who attended had a blast. We raised over 200 dollars for the Japanese Relief Fund. It was a really great experience and we all hope to have another Eco-Friendly Fashion Show next year. After the audience departed and the models changed back into their street clothes, it was time to set the cafeteria back in order. Let’s just say it’s better to be in a fashion show than to clean up after one.