TV/Video and Sound students stage fashion show at The Westchester

  • fashion show audience awaits start
  • crew members work outside store
  • student crew works while model prepares
  • the fashion show as viewed from the mall
  • spectators snap pictures of the fashion show
  • models walk the runway in the mall
  • Chokomode's fashions were on full display
  • models walk outside on the mall runway
  • models wait their turn as the fashion show progresses
  • pamphlets for the store

Collaboration between Chokomode, SWBOCES began with store's 2021 opening

Emma Huerta performed multiple jobs as part of a student crew that helped stage and film a fashion show at the Westchester Mall’s posh Chokomode fashion store.

A senior from Eastchester and a student in the Sound Production program at Southern Westchester BOCES, Emma was solely responsible for managing multiple sound feeds from microphones, a mixer, and even the event’s DJ, school counselor Kevin McAllister.

“This would be the job I would give two people, maybe three,” said Sound Production Teacher Sean Harty, “but she was able to do it all by herself.”

Emma was one of four SWBOCES students who contributed to the Oct. 8 event, along with three students from the TV/Video Production program — seniors Emilee Emanuele of Eastchester and Alexander Lowenstein and Xavier Jackson-Rice of New Rochelle — and their teacher, Michael May, as well as Mr. Harty.

Emma’s efforts freed Mr. Harty to coordinate the show. She said her classroom work prepared her well for this work-based learning experience.

“We started on field production in the first quarter,” she said. “Everything we do (in class) is exactly the same. It’s just the situation and the people.”

The fashion show marked the store’s one-year anniversary and one of many collaborations between Chokomode and SWBOCES. Last fall, owner Marcelle Gakam partnered with the SWBOCES Work-Based Learning Office to bring in four SWBOCES students to assist with its launch.

“This started out as a documentary,” Mr. Harty said, “but it evolved into filming the fashion show for her because she wanted a way to create marketing, publicity and outreach for her designs.”

He called it a good collaboration that took nearly six hours between setup and breakdown.

TV/Video Production student Xavier Jackson-Rice, a senior from New Rochelle, said he learned a lot even when things didn't go as exactly planned, like show participants arriving late.

“I feel like I was definitely prepared for anything that might go down,” Xavier said.

“We were all working together to put this project together for somebody that really wanted it done,” he added. “You could definitely tell that the owner was happy.”

Mr. May was gratified to see his students perform well “on a real shoot with real clientele” and do so professionally and with little supervision. Mr. Harty said the goal is to put students in a position to succeed.

“It’s always a test of skills and confidence under pressure, in addition to a learning experience,” he said.