Miss Connecticut Walks “Fashion Runway” at Naugatuck Valley Community College’s Kids on Campus

Waterbury, Conn. – Naugatuck Valley Community College’s Kids on Campus program had a special and unexpected celebrity this year – the newly crowned Miss Connecticut 2008, Ashley Glenn.
 
Aiding ‘Fashion Runway’ and ‘Real Fashion’ instructor Natalie Testa of Ragtime Boutique in Watertown, Glenn encouraged and worked with students grades 7-10 doing fashion design and fashion show choreography.
 
Glenn admired the work done by students to convert scrap pieces and everyday clothing, including t-shirts, into modern fashion pieces.  
 
“I’m really impressed with all their designs,” said Glenn.  “I couldn’t do this. Even if I took the class I probably couldn’t do this.”
 
This is the first year that fashion classes have been taught as part of Kids on Campus.  
 
“Teaching is something that I’ve always thought about doing,” said Testa.  “It’s addicting, especially when you meet kids like this.  Most of these kids didn’t even know how to thread a needle when they came in.”
 
Testa, whose boutique is the wardrobe sponsor for Miss Connecticut, invited Glenn to model dresses that she will be wearing to the Miss Outstanding Teen pageant in Orlando, August 12-16, to emphasize the importance of designs and alterations in context.
 
“It’s important for the students to see the significance of a fitting” said Testa, “especially on a celebrity.”
 
As the day progressed Glenn also worked with students on choreographing and modeling in an end-of-the-week fashion show.
 
“The idea for fashion courses came from the popularity of the TV show ‘America’s Next Top Model,’” said Lisa Crick, coordinator of Kids on Campus.  “We’re always looking for new programming ideas to excite, inspire and offer career exploration to young people.”
 
Kids on Campus has been an annual program at the college since 1982.  This year more than 200 students attended more than 30 classes over the course of a week.  Next year, the program may expand its course offerings to two weeks.