The Malden High School Senior Fashion show is not only an exciting fundraising event for the senior class, but an entertaining night where the seniors get to show off their favorite casual, formal and prom wear. This year’s fashion show was filled with gorgeous gowns, sleek tuxedos and tons of hilarious poses and selfies. Senior host Elijah Jean-Baptiste, and disc jockey senior Chris Voltaire, kept the show upbeat and ebullient throughout the night.
Senior Joshua Bessey, who participated in the fashion show, feels that the show is not just an exciting fundraiser, but it is, “also something fun,” for seniors to do. He explained that participating in the show instead of just watching it was the best part about being involved with the show because of the opportunity to be with, “all of [his] friends,” while being, “dressed up.”
Senior Nick Hames, another participant, stated that he loves “being a part of things that [his] class does.” He feels this way since his class is “dedicated and hard working,” and he wants, “to be a part of it as much as [he] can.” Hames also expressed that the show was mostly improvisation, so they “did whatever [they] wanted when [they] were on stage, and that was the fun part. It was hilarious.”
This year was not the first time a senior class held a fashion show for a fundraiser. Aryzona MacDonald, the class of 2015’s publicist, explains that “[they] wanted to continue the fashion show because [they] felt it was a tradition important to keep alive. Also, [they] wanted one last big fundraiser to bring the class together.”
The seniors who participated in the show modeled casual wear, a formal outfit, and then prom attire. The many students who participated walked with confidence and had fun with their friends in the process of fundraising for their class.
Paula Valente, one of the 2015 class advisors along with Bernice Diaz, expressed that “[their class has] raised the most money” out of all the other classes in the past 10 years. Valente also explained that the class’s goal was to raise 20,000 dollars.The fashion show was their last major fundraiser of the year.
Expanding on the concept of class funding, Valente explained that the fundraising the class
does, “helps lower the cost of prom tickets, caps and gowns.” The senior class usually pays twenty dollars per student for their graduation cap and gown, but the substantial amount of fundraising that the senior class did was enough to lower the cost of the caps and gowns down to ten dollars. The senior class also gave $2,500 to the Maldonian this year.
Because prom is approaching MHS soon, Valente felt that the seniors modeling prom attire was a great way to “introduce prom wear for this season.” The prom attire was borrowed from David's Bridal in Danvers, MA and Men's Wearhouse in Medford, MA, whom they thanked in the program.
Both Bessey and MacDonald agreed that the fashion show was a great fundraiser, and MacDonald’s advice for future seniors planning a fashion show is to, “really plan it out and rehearse.” She said that this years seniors, “did not get a chance to rehearse until the day of, so it became a bit of an improv show which was fun, but maybe would've been better if it was all planned out.” Bessey also recommended that future seniors should definitely participate or help out with the fashion show because it is, “a lot more fun than you would expect.”
I am Jeanette Verdone’s great-uncle( brother of her maternal grandfather, Tom Medugno). Aunt Pam and I are so proud of you for your achievements at Malden High. Both your father and I graduated from MHS many years ago. I wish that your grandfather was still alive to see his beautiful granddaughter’s great achievements at MHS. He, along with your great aunts Sue and Mary would have been thrilled with your accomplishments. We know that you will continue to achieve honors in college because of your determination to succeed in attaining your goals. God Bless You!!! Aunt Pam and Uncle Fred