Leadership 2 hosts first Charity Fashion Show in three years

By Staff Writers Vedesh Kodnani & Annie Xu

From 6-9 p.m. on February 17, Leadership 2’s (L2) Community Committee hosted their first in-person Charity Fashion Show since 2020 in C-120. Coinciding with Valentine’s Day and Love Week, the show was aptly themed the Palace of Hearts and featured runway walks, musical covers, and dances. 

The night’s proceeds went to Love 4 One Another Charities, a nonprofit that aims to provide educational and artistic resources to high school students in high-need classrooms worldwide. “Usually, we try to have the theme connect to the organization we’re donating to… so we chose Love for One Another because this year, we wanted to make it a love themed show,” L2 Community Committee Head Senior Jackie Wang said. 

MSJ COR Dance kicked off the night with an energetic hip-hop medley, instantly capturing the crowd with their synchronization and animated expressions. In a refreshing change of pace, MSJ Syncopasians performed pitch-perfect covers of “Moon River” by Audrey Hepburn and “For the Longest Time” by Billy Joel. To the beat of the Pokémon theme song “Gotta Catch ‘Em All,” the ASB officers then took to the runway, clad in Pokémon costumes, segueing into walks from the Fundraising, Sports, and Elections committees. 

Matching the energy of the previous performances, MSJ Korean Club executed viral dance moves from songs such as “Fearless” by LE SSERAFIM and “OMG” by NewJeans, leading into Junior Elyse Nyugen’s captivating kung fu routine and runway walks from the Homecoming Multicultural and Publicity Committees. 

Following lively dances filled with elaborate formations from MSJ Ishaara and a touching cover of SZA’s “Snooze” by Senior Sinchana Nama, L2 Boys performed a TikTok rendition of a “Jingle Bell Rock” remix in white tank tops and pajamas, sparking laughter and cheers from the audience. Matching the momentum of the performance, the Technology committee strutted across the stage in inflatable cow and Among Us character costumes, followed by the Green Team and Campus, Videography, and Student Teacher Alumni Relations committees. 

The show concluded with a Michael Jackson dance cover, and the crowd burst into screams as dancers dressed in crisp suits and sleek top hats recreated the iconic lean in Michael Jackson’s iconic “Smooth Criminal.” The show concluded a final walk from Community Committee members, and special entrances from L2 Advisor Benny Breazeale and Principal Jeff Evans’s daughters.

In the future, L2 hopes to increase the magnitude and reach of the Charity Fashion Show. “In the past, there have been fashion shows we’ve done where we’ve almost packed this entire place. It would be nice if we could get more people in the future, and give a lot more to charity,” Breazeale said. 

Cover Photo Courtesy of Rajesh Baskar