The Barriere Secondary School graduating class took their audience on a road trip full of laughter, music and hilarity on Thursday, April 20, during the annual Barriere Grad Fashion Show.
The show took place in the BSS gymnasium with a full house of family, friends and community members in attendance.
The theme for the 2023 show was ‘Road Trip’ and opened with two grad MCs, Connor Adair and Andrew Harris, sitting behind a plywood car prop built by students specifically for the show. The comedic banter between the two friends on a fictional ‘road trip’ immediately engaged the crowd, bringing laughter and applause throughout the evening.
This year’s popular community event was the 26th since the fashion show fund raiser started in 1997 when the mothers of graduates, Donna Genier and her sister Barb Feddersen first organized the show to support local graduation events. This year Feddersen’s granddaughter, Kayla Chrystall, following in her mother, Tanya Speer’s footsteps as a former graduate, performed in the fashion/variety show carrying on the family legacy started by her grandmother and great aunt.
The show has evolved from a girls runway gown fashion show into a co-ed variety show with all students participating in this memorable evening that now includes a silent auction with items donated by local businesses and individuals, a 50/50 draw, entertaining short musical dance and comedic skits that invited audience participation as the students danced to numbers like ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ by Brooks and Dunn, ‘Who’s watching me’ by Rockwell, and the theme to ‘Fresh Prince of Belair’ by D.J. Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith, to name a few.
Tickets were $10 at the door and all complimentary refreshments were donated by parents in support, where groups of neighbours gathered to chat while enjoying some delicious baked good and beverages.
Graduates Danika Zerr and Taylor Harris acted as the show producers, organizing the multiple scripts and various short skits performed by 18 graduates throughout the show. The night concluded with the much-anticipated finale in the more formal fashion parade that was created by the students, which described each participating graduate’s choice of fashion for the evening that showed their own signature style and personality.
Secretary for Barriere Secondary School, Kristin Luison spoke on behalf of the school saying, “The money raised by the show will go towards their dry grad dinner, dance and trip to Playland in Vancouver. The grads wish thank their parents and community for all great support!”
According to grad mom, Tanya Speer, this year’s event raised over $5,000 to go towards the class of 2023 and their celebrations as they head down the ‘road trip’ of the future. Speer also added, “The grads fundraise approximately $20,000 each year to pay for the dinner, dance and grad trip. We have a very generous community!”
