The Chatham High School gymnasium was packed this past Friday, as parents, students, siblings, and community members gathered for the annual senior fashion show. Seniors walked the runway modeling clothing from local businesses in a grade-wide event that celebrated both the Class of 2026 and the surrounding community. The show’s theme, “Make It Count,” encouraged seniors to make the most of their final year at Chatham High School.
Dozens of brands were featured during the event, including Lululemon, Brooks Brothers, Quartet, and The Snooki Shop. In addition to the brand showcases, members of Catwalk, a group of 12 high school students who design original dresses, presented their own designs with senior models. With live music playing and a full audience cheering them on, the event turned the school gym into a runway for the night.
According to Chatham High School Principal Douglas Walker, the fashion show has been a tradition for many years. “I’ve been here 14 years, and it’s gone on every year since I’ve been there, but it preceded me,” Walker said.
Assistant Principal Lori Gironda agreed, saying, “It’s been around longer than I’ve been here, so we don’t even know when it started. It’s definitely a tradition.”
Over time, Walker says the event has continued to grow and evolve. “Each year they seem to add some new things or change or take some things away, but they’ve made it better and better each year,” he said.
Walker also emphasized the role the event plays in bringing people together. “I think it means a lot. I think it’s a really nice way for the community to come together,” he said. “I also think that the seniors really enjoy the opportunity to get out there with their friends and perform in the skits and model the clothing, and so it’s a nice, fun opportunity for them, and it’s also a really, a really great fundraiser for the school.”
Planning the show takes months of preparation from volunteers and parents. “It starts a year in advance, and there are the PTO parents who run it and put tremendous amounts of hours into planning and preparing it,” Walker explained. “We have a lot of different meetings. There’s a lot of logistics to this. There’s a lot of purchasing. There’s a lot of coordination, and the effort they put in is pretty amazing.”
For many seniors, the fashion show is both exciting and nerve-wracking. Senior Alannah Duignan said she walked the runway multiple times during the night. For her, the most memorable part of the night happened behind the scenes. “Backstage has been really fun. Just all the girls are helping each other out, doing each other’s hair and their makeup, and it’s really fun,” she said.
Senior Sam Kelliher modeled for Alfred Sport Shop and Flaherty’s during the event. “I had a great experience. My clothes were comfortable, and I got to go walk on the runway with my friends,” he said.
Kelliher said the energy of the night stood out the most to him. “I really enjoyed the final event. It was really fun, and there were a lot of people there,” he said.
Aubrey Conlon also participated, modeling looks from David’s Bridal and Quartet. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “It was amazing. I had such a fun time.” Her favorite moment was “getting to do all the poses and going out there and having fun.”
Senior Nick Sasaki modeled for Faherty and Marine Layer during the show. “It was phenomenal,” Sasaki said about the overall event. He also described what made the experience special for him. “My favorite part was absolutely getting to hang out with everyone backstage and see what people were wearing,” he said. “And everyone was hyping each other up, and it was a super supportive experience.”
Reflecting on the theme of the event, Sasaki said the message resonated with him. “Yeah, I think I definitely made my senior year count,” he said. “I’ve got into college, being productive. I think I’ve been a lot more locked in this year than I have in others.”
Senior Hannah Schell said the final moments of the show were her favorite. “I really liked the conga line at the end. You got to be with all your friends, and the whole grade is united. It was really fun dancing out,” she said.
Emma Werner modeled clothing from The Snooki Shop and Elegant Edit. Although she initially expected to feel nervous, the experience quickly became enjoyable.
“It was a lot of fun. At first I thought it was gonna be a bit scary, but then I think you’re with another person and everyone’s just having fun,” Werner said. “It’s not really about being good, just having fun.”
Werner also enjoyed the creative aspects of modeling. “I liked coming up with the poses, at the end of the runway,” she said. “I thought that was fun because I liked how you could express your creativity.”
For Werner, seeing the community gather together made the event even more meaningful. “It was really nice. I feel like, especially because I’m a senior, it’s kind of heartwarming to see the entire grade and the rest of Chatham all coming together,” she said. “It makes me miss Chatham because I know in a few months I’m not gonna be here anymore.”
With students modeling, friends cheering them on, and the community packed into the gym, the Chatham High School senior fashion show proved to be a memorable night for the class of 2026.
