On Thursday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m., more than 50 people waited to see eight students strut through South Dining Hall like it was a runway, showing off their recycled garb at the first annual Trashion Fashion Show sponsored by Students Promoting Acts of Recycling at Kutztown (SPARK).
The designers were in charge of finding their own models and materials as well as creating their outfits for the show. There were five designers: Jessi Pamone, Carmen Stalker, Patty Gross, Bonner Hall representatives and Rachel Croffroth. Most of the designers only entered one outfit; however, Stalker submitted two for the competition.
At the end of the show, the results were called, and each winning designer and model came to the front of the room to be acknowledged. Carmen Stalker came in first place, winning $30 in BearBucks. Bonner Hall representatives came in second place, and Rachel Coffroth was the third-place designer, winning $20 and $10 in BearBucks respectively.
The judges were students involved in different Housing and Residence Life organizations and were given specific criteria with which to base their judging. The outfits had to be at least 50 percent recycled material and a variety of supplies had to be used. The outfit had to be creative and appropriate. Finally, the overall presentation of the outfit was considered for each new piece.
The audience turnout was better than expected. The admission fee was an empty water bottle or soda can, and the first 50 people who turned one in got a free SPARK t-shirt. The water bottles and soda cans are to be recycled.
Mark Shuster, the advisor of SPARK, was very pleased when he had to run and get more t-shirts to give away.
“I am very happy with the turnout and the outfits that I saw tonight,” said Shuster. “This is the first time we’ve done this event, so we can only make it better.”
SPARK’s student leadership was pleased with the outcome as well.
“I thought it went really well,” said Enid Narvaez, the SPARK secretary. “We showed the students that recycling can be fun and exciting all the while stressing the fact that recycling is important.”
SPARK is a student-run organization dedicated to increasing university sustainability. The Trashion Fashion Show was the first campus-wide event the students planned and executed. The organization is currently working on a week-long list of activities to celebrate Earth Day, which will take place in April, as well as sustainability a fair at a local elementary school.
SPARK meets every Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Dixon Hall conference room. The members are currently recruiting, so if anyone is interested, just stop in.
By Elizabeth Crews