St. Croix FashionEASTER 2016 Highlights II

  The Virgin Islands Department of Education hosted its first FashionEASTER fundraiser on St. Croix on Sunday, March 13 at the Educational Complex auditorium. The fashion extravaganza was held to benefit reading inititives and music education in Virgin Islands public schools. The event featured students, teachers, and Education Department employees, as well as parents who hit the runway for the worthy cause. The lively show featured a variety of exciting fashion segments, including School Funk-ti-fied, which showcased school uniforms in creative, high-fashion and futuristic designs. Recycle Wear showcased a unique, ocean-inspired gown made from straws and paper plates. The Cultural Couture segment featured students and employees in festive, cultural wear prominently featuring the madrass cloth. The Spring Sunday Elegance segment brought out beautiful, flowy frocks to the catwalk. A highlight of the show was a special Easter Family Affair segment, featuring parents and their children. Some families modeled matching outfits, a father and daughter team strutted down the runway. The Hats, Bags and More segment showcased elaborate hats and matching purses, perfect for a day at the Kentucky Durby or the Triple Crown. Models in the Unbeweaveable segment wowed the crowed with ornate hairstyles designed as hats. During her remarks, Commissioner Sharon Ann McCollum praised the first-time effort, which was envisioned by Department of Education Territorial Project Engineer, Haldor Farquhar. Commissioner McCollum looked forward to the event becoming an annual one. St. Croix Superintendent Colleen Williams gave welcoming remarks to those in attendance. First-class entertainment was provided by Ras Batch, Maria Carmona and the St. Croix Educational Complex Jazz Band. JG Management provided additional excitement as his models set the runway on fire to open and close the show. Cyndi Ible Frontal and Daryl "Bogle" Stevens kept the crowd energized as masters of ceremonies.  Lorraine Benjamin-Matthew coordinated the event with a team of committee members. The Department of Education wishes to thank all of the sponsors and everyone who supported FashionEASTER '16!