The rows of seats were all filled, and a crowd gathered around, all to see the annual Global Village fashion show. A tradition for Global Village, the fashion show, which took place March 6, allows students to view attire from all over the world. The event takes place during both lunch shifts so all students are able to see the show.
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to do the fashion show,” junior Humera Lodhi said. “ I was really nervous all the way up until I walked. I only did it because Mrs. Ben-Ayed asked and all my friends kept asking me. I had said no last year so I said I would try it this year. I really enjoyed it though.”
Some students are ELL or exchange students that are able to show off a part of their culture. Other students may have family members from a foreign country and obtain their outfits that way. There are also plenty of students and faculty that participate just for the fun of it, and are given clothes from the organizers of the event: ELL teacher Lilia Ben-Ayed and learning specialist Punam Sethi.
“I wore an outfit from India and it’s called an Anarkali,” Lodhi, who brought her own dress, said. “It was golden and red. This particular Anarkali is a little fancier, something you would wear on a special occasion, like a wedding ceremony.”
Also wearing an outfit from India, provided by Ben-Ayed and Sethi, was AP US Studies and AP Literature teacher Debbie McDonough. Directly after teaching her second hour class, she arrived at the main commons to perform in the fashion show. It is her second year of participating in the fashion show.
“I think [the fashion show is] an opportunity to celebrate the diversity here at Rock Bridge,” McDonough said. “I think global village is such a wonderful opportunity to see all the different countries we have represented right here in the school. I just love it.”
Global village is taking place Friday, March 7 in the morning. Many who participated in the fashion show will have their own booths to show even more about their country and heritage.
“I will also be at the India/Pakistan booth tomorrow and I’m super psyched for it,” Lodhi said. “It’s going to be a great way to teach people a little bit about different cultures around the world.”
By Sophie Whyte
Did you attend the fashion show? What did you think?
