Seeking to raise funds to help adults seeking workplace advancement go back to school, five eighth-graders from Indian Trails Middle School organized a weekend fashion show
It was all fashion, runway, business and fun on Sunday afternoon as Flagler County residents from every sector took to the cat walk at Hammock Beach Resort to show their support for a team of community problem solvers looking to help adults get back to school.
Dressed in designs provided by Raisa Shvartsbeyn, owner of Raisa’s Place in Bunnell and known for her custom work, Linda Mahran, vice president of the United Way Women United Flagler, Flagler School Board member Dr. Maria Barbosa, and vice president of The Holley Group, Dr. Barbara Holley, were just a few of the local luminaries who turned up to model for a cause.
Seeking to raise funding for their trip to the state competition this weekend, March 25-28, in Orlando and for scholarships as part of their community problem solving project, five eighth-graders from Indian Trails Middle School, led by coach Jearlyn Dennie, welcomed guests to the fashion show.
“Pitching” their project, “Back At School,” which focuses on helping adults achieve higher education to increase their earning ability in the workforce, the students participated in several scenarios before judges in a format based on hit TV show competitions like “Shark Tank” and “Project Runway” during their “Past, Present, Future”-themed event, emceed by retired San Francisco runway model Cynthia Black.
“I came up with the scenes because I wanted to create a mindset for their competition,” said Black. “Every situation is an opportunity and by creating scenes like “Shark Tank,” these are people you have to pitch your idea to in order to get a reward. Once they get the knowledge and are convinced they can do it, no one can tell them no.”
Dennie’s daughter Christina Courson is one of the problem solving team members and she was proud of what the girls had pulled together to raise awareness for their project: adults going back to school for additional education and training.
“We’re helping the adults in Flagler County get back to school with degrees or technical education — anything that can help them boost their salary and help out their family,” Christina said. “A lot of us, we have personal connections. My dad went back, her dad went back, her parents went back and the others just really wanted to help the community. It makes me feel really good that my mom did this whole thing for us so we can have enough (money) to go to the state competition and do scholarships to give to adults.”
Many people like Joe Mullins, who sponsored the cost of the room for the evening, pulled out their checkbooks or signed pledge cards to help the girls reach their goals, grossing an estimated $10,000 from the evening, according to Dennie, which will help offset transportation, lodging and other expenses associated with the competition.
“I am proud to support our Flagler County youth," Mullins said. "They are our future and tonight’s event showed how brilliant they are and how much fun they can have while raising money for a great cause.”
Dennie, who has been a coach for problem solving teams over the past two years and created the independent team so she could remain a coach, knows the costs associated with competitions.
“Palm Coast Community Problem Solving group is an independent group not associated with any of the schools,” said Dennie. “My goal has always been to make it cost-effective for the parents. For the past couple of years I’ve done it with the schools as a coach or parent facilitator. I still had to pay, so we want parents not have to pay anything.”