Friday May 2

School spirit still in style

Student fashion show set to raise funds for Duveneck

By Melanie Carroll / Daily News Staff Writer

As Hannah Montana tunes and other songs play in the background, Brooke Weller and her fellow Duveneck Elementary School students will strut their stuff Sunday as they star in a homegrown fashion show to raise money for the school's PTA.

The sold-out fashion show and tea party was the brainchild of Duveneck graduate and Palo Alto High School sophomore Whitney Drazovich, 16, who dreamed it up last year when a baby-sitting job morphed into a dress-up party. The backyard show has raised about $800 for the PTA from parents - money that will be used to buy school supplies, mother Kathryn Weller said.

On Sunday, the 15 Duveneck girls starring in the fashion show will get to show off loaned clothes from the likes of Meli Meli and Wati Designs.

"I'm really excited" for Sunday, 8-year-old Brooke said.

Brooke received makeup and hair assistance Thursday from Whitney and 15-year-old Kylie Sloan - two of the sophomores who are helping out on the big day - as she practiced her modeling moves. Four sophomores, including Kylie and Whitney, are also doing the girls' nails and helping them pick out clothing ensembles and accessories (not including shoes since the girls are walking barefoot).

"We'll use light makeup and glitter" and headbands for the hair, Kylie said.

While the younger girls are the stars of the show, the sophomores will have about five minutes at the end of the show to model a few outfits, organizers said.

The afternoon event featuring a red carpet along with tables filled with fruit, cupcakes and lemonade is not just for the girls, either. Younger brothers Logan and Spencer Drazovich are in charge of music, photography and announcing the event. Brooke said she's already put together the playlist of "jazzy" tunes for Sunday.

Mother Debbie Tranowski said she thinks it's likely the event will happen again next year, given its success.


E-mail Melanie Carroll at mcarroll@dailynewsgroup.com.