“Strut for a Smile,” a charity fashion show to benefit Operation Smile, will be held Friday, Feb. 26 at Baywood Greens Country Club, in Long Neck.
Heading up the show is Courtenay Rickards of Ocean View, a senior at Sussex Technical High School, who is undertaking the venture as part of her senior STEM project in the media broadcasting technical area.
Operation Smile is a children’s charity treating facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates all around the world. Senior STEM projects are exhibitions of mastery through which students demonstrate advanced academic and technical skills learned during their four years at Sussex Tech. They must design a product that is accompanied by a related research project and an oral presentation evaluated by a diverse committee of administrators, teachers, advisory council members, and representatives from the business community.
Courtenay sought the help of several local clothing stores who are donating the use of their merchandise or services for the fashion show. Sponsors include BCBGeneration, aZura Clothing, Superkind, Liquid Board Shop, The Med Spa and Salon, Downtown Cowgirl, Tiaras Bridal Boutique, and South Moon Under.
Models in the show are high school students from throughout Sussex County. They include: Sussex Tech – Taylor Kieffer, Amanda Ritter, Lindsey Rickards, Cartina Church, Hansel Fuller, Emir Laroya, Danielle Brumbley, Mary Ryan, Miriah Hearn, Brent Prouse and Aja Tenerovich; Sussex Central – Brian Newson and Lauren Coffelt; Seaford – Zach Hearn, Lizzie Perciful and Jordan Stanley; Cape Henlopen – Daniel Steele and Autumn Dailey; Indian River – Alyssa Murray and T.C. Howard; Milford – Morgan Culver and Patrick Helmick; and Woodbridge – Kyrra Lewandowski and Micah Idler.
Heavy hors d’oeuvres with a cash bar will be served from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The live show will begin at 7:45 p.m. Special performances highlight the evening and a love photo booth will provide some nostalgic fun.
Tickets can be purchased at the door. Prices are $10 for students and $15 for adults. The public is invited. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to Operation Smile. For more information, email courtenayyyy@gmail.com.
