Spotlight on fashion
Window Rock High students, faculty, parents join in celebratory fashion show
By Rick Abasta
Special to the Times
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(Times photo - Paul Natonabah)
Window Rock High student-models pose before dressing up for the school's fashion show March 27. From left are Jamelia Begay, Cheryl Yazzie, Morningstar Dickson, Yolanda Tsosie, Amber Carl and Brianna Nozie.
Last week, students at Window Rock High returned from spring break in style.
The global fashion centers of New York, London, Paris and Milan are thousands of miles away, but for one night the high school was the epicenter of a fashion extravaganza.
Elementary, junior high and high school students from the Window Rock Unified School District strutted down the catwalk to the sounds of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "Material Girl" and "Electric Avenue."
The occasional teacher and parent joined the excitement and modeled alongside students with clothing from Gallup merchants sponsoring the event.
Bealls, JC Penney, Carousel, and Cato's all donated fashions for the event, ranging from casual wear to tuxedos and gowns.
The crown jewel of the night came from the southern ball gowns provided by Terry Bright, hospitality management teacher at Window Rock High, and master of ceremonies for the evening.
| Video of the fashion show. Click the play button above. |
Native designer Cynthia Trujillo shared traditional designs ranging from dresses, skirts and jackets to vests dripping with cultural aesthetics.
Admission to the event was $8 and two cans of food, which was a fundraiser for the class trip to California at the end of the year.
Sponsored by Future Family and Community Leaders of America, the March 27 fashion show was coordinated through the efforts of students, faculty and parents.
One of those parents was Harold Kelliwood, 67, of Sawmill, Ariz.
Kelliwood's eyes lit up with pride when he spoke of his grandson, Alerin Yazzie, 19, a senior and model in the show.
Kelliwood and his wife raised their grandson who is a great source of happiness.
"He is in track and band," Kelliwood said. "He's a fun guy to be with, I guess, that's what they all say.
"I talk to him every morning and tell him what life's about, so he's got a good attitude," he said.
Instilling that positive mental attitude into Navajo kids begins inside the home, Kelliwood said.
"It's up to us parents, really," he said. "Education starts from the house, the way parents treat and raise their kids."
Kelliwood told his grandson that graduating from high school is only the first step toward success.
"I told him it's the first step toward life. The diploma will be the key to the door that will open the world for him," Kelliwood said.
Alerin Yazzie was popular with the audience as he strutted, gyrated and danced down the catwalk in casual wear, a tuxedo and traditional garb.
Yazzie's gleaming white tuxedo juxtaposed against royal blue drew the largest cheers of the night.
Another student, sophomore Kelly Mazerba, 16, got plenty of cheers from the audience.
She said she modeled in the fashion show just for the experience.
Mazerba's favorite outfit was the black ball gown embroidered with gold lace.
"I didn't think I would like it," she said about participating in the show. "I was wrong."
Besides modeling different outfits all night, Mazerba said her favorite part of the event was just being with friends and family.
She said her plans beyond high school are to go to college in Tucson and become a chef.
The interaction between the students and the audience demonstrated exactly what the school wants to develop, according to Principal Jim Fitch.
The event was the second fashion show coordinated by students this year, from planning to preparation and execution, he said.
Students learned many useful skills, he said, like presenting themselves before a crowd and food preparation.
"It's all a part of the curriculum in class, the family consumer sciences curriculum," Fitch said. "(Students) have done some field trips to resorts to see hospitality and how it is done."
The purpose of those trips was to encourage students interested in careers in hospitality management and consumer sciences, he said.
Fitch has been principal of Window Rock since July 17, 2007, and said he's got the "greatest student body" anywhere.
Originally from western Kentucky, he spent the last 32 years in western Tennessee before moving to the Southwest.
"We have a faculty of creative people here and parents who are interested," Fitch said. "They have plenty of ideas and I'm trying to work with them to make those things work for our kids."
At the end of the night, the mood was celebratory, as "Staying Alive" filled the cafeteria and students, faculty and parents worked the catwalk one last time.