For the past 12 years, PV High has held a grand fashion show through Project Runway, one of the largest student-run clubs on campus. Although the founders of this club originally raised money for the Panama Project, Project Runway really made its start seven years ago when they took on supporting the well-known organization: Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Every year there is a new theme, new leadership members, new models, and new volunteers in and out of the school who help make granting children’s wishes possible.

“We start coming up with theme ideas before the new school year even begins, and from there we start picturing and putting our thoughts into reality, while the board members begin their jobs also, ” said president Morgann Pisanno.

The finished product was presented this year on February 12 and 13, with a theme of “Stop and Smell The Roses.”

The glitz, glam, and important details that are the trademark for the show had been in the works since the last year’s show concluded. There have been countless designs drawn up, plain pink papers made into roses and so much more that made this show go as smoothly as it did.  

“My job on the board does not have much to do with the exciting and creative part of the show, but instead I organize the fundraisers that raise the money that allows the show to actually happen, and I started contacting places the previous summer,” said senior Delaney Tournat.

Without people behind the scene fundraising like Tournat, contacting stores for clothes like Hadley Richards and Carolina Decker did, or making direct connections with Make-a-Wish like presidents Morgann Pisanno, Haley Pascal, and Natalie Watson, none of this could be possible.

The optimism and drive members have is contagious, so contagious that mothers from our community repeatedly play big roles in the behind the scenes of the show.

“It is a great feeling to be a part of such a great project and also to teach the girls how to take their theme each year and make it come to life” said Lisa Denver.

Denver, mother of former Project Runway member Peyton Denver, has been devoting her time and artistic skills ever since her daughter got involved in the club.

Although her daughter has graduated, she continues to play a large role in developing the perfect backgrounds and decorations that continuously leave the presidents and board awestruck.

Without great contributors like Denver and other outside volunteers, the success the show sees would not have been possible.