Seniors Launch 'British Invasion' Fashion Show

The seniors took their turn with a local tradition Friday when they held the Annual Spring Fashion Show.

This year the fashion show's theme was "The British Invasion," complete with skits and appearances by The Beatles, Austin Powers and members of the royal family. Thea Bancroft-Ziccolella said over 150 seniors, the largest number ever, participated in the fashion show this year.

In addition to acting as models, students also worked on the lighting and sound crews and help design the costumes from donated clothes. Casual and formal wear, including a prom vignette, were all included in the fashion show.

Bancroft-Ziccolella said, "New this year was a keepsake quality Fashion Show journal, featuring ads from the community, our vendors, and baby/young child pictures of the models."

Chatham High student Jenna Ioffredo did the artwork for the invitation and journal cover, and Sean Switzer crooned "Cooler Than Me" as the models strutted their stuff.

The show also featured a silent auction, a basket raffle and a T-shirt sale.

Karen Jackson, the head of the Chatham High PTO, said it took "over 30 parents, as part of the core committee, [working to plan the event] for months. ... Another 70 helped out that evening."

Jackson said she does not yet know how much money was raised at the Fashion Show, but the event is regularly one of the PTO's largest fundraisers of the year.

"In previous years the money raised funded gifts to the school such as SmartBoards, water fountains, outdoor picnic tables and school-wide wireless internet, along with student programs such as speakers and Project Graduation," Jackson said.