Student-Teacher
Talent & Fashion Show 

Alexa Vladu

Oct. 31 2025

The semi-annual Carle Place High School Fashion Show Fundraiser, held on October 23rd, was a huge success, bringing together students, teachers, and families for an unforgettable night. The event, organized by Ms. Bufalino with the help of Key Club members and student volunteers, raised money for the KDVS Foundation in honor of freshman Daniel Green, who lives with Koolen-de Vries Syndrome.

The evening kicked off with music by DJ Ryan Dunn, a CPHS alumnus, who kept the audience energized and entertained. The crowd then enjoyed a heartfelt video about KDVS, created by Key Club President Bernadette Green and Treasurer Abigail Aghostino. Daniel’s mother, Mrs. Green, delivered a moving speech as the family was invited to the stage. With more than 85 student participants, the show opened with an exciting Rushmore dance performance, whose lively choreography brought smiles to everyone in attendance.

Following the dance, models took the runway to showcase clothing from Goat USA, a brand co-founded by Carle Place alumni Rich Alfaro and Dylan McLaughlin. The models wore cozy hoodies, matching sweatsuits, and stylish streetwear. Teachers and families also joined in on the fun, strutting the runway in Goat USA apparel.

The show’s first talent act featured sophomore Kyra Henriquez, who sang a beautiful rendition of an Adele song. Next, students modeled clothing from Forea Boutique, a local business located in Plainview. Following that, senior Guiliana D’Alessandro captivated the audience with her performance of Misty, earning a warm round of applause.

The fashion continued with designs from Dyed 2 Perfection, owned by Carle Place resident Heather Birong, who specializes in custom spirit wear and tie-dye designs. Models showcased a range of hand-dyed and personalized pieces. The CPHS Field Hockey Team also made a special appearance, proudly modeling in matching custom gear that showed off their school spirit.

The final talent act was a powerful duet by Alyssa Ceccoli and Melania Roussis, who performed Just Give Me a Reason by Pink. The last fashion category—a crowd favorite—featured creative costumes that filled the stage with energy and laughter. Highlights included Keira as Hermione the Cat; Ashley Barbuto, Brianna Brown, and Christina Canales as Willy Wonka and Oompa Loompas; Michael Paladino as the pink bunny from A Christmas Story; Giovanni Shammah as Michael Myers; Joshua Zhu in a Japanese kimono; Kevin Esposito as Pluto; Nicholas Scaccia and Peter Kainos as monkeys; and Nicholas Abbatiello as Stitch. The segment also featured varsity football players—Michael Seglin, Justin Powers, Lucas McElroy, and Vincenzo Pisani—in creative costumes of their own.

Teachers joined in on the fun, too. Mrs. Palma and Mrs. D’Amico brought their daughters Avery, Reagan, Molly, and Anna to life as characters from K-Pop Demon Hunters. Mrs. Pizza appeared as Glinda the Good Witch, accompanied by her daughters Isabella (Cinderella) and Juliette (Elsa). Mrs. Pasquarella modeled with her granddaughter as princesses from Frozen, while Mrs. Lewis joined with her grandsons dressed as characters from Cars. Dr. Kelly and her nieces and nephew lit up the stage as the Grease Pink Ladies and T-Bird Crew. Finally, Mrs. Ostroff and Dr. Leffler closed out the costume segment dressed as scientists Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, followed by Mr. Colossal as a Founding Father, Ms. Santos as Rosie the Riveter, and Ms. Ragusa as the Statue of Liberty.

At the end of the show, all the models took one final walk around the runway and performed the lively finale dance. All proceeds from the event, along with funds raised through the Chipotle Fundraiser, will go directly to the KDVS Foundation to support ongoing research and awareness efforts—raising over $2,500 (with the total amount still being determined). Attendees also had the chance to win over 40 raffle prizes, including gift cards, movie tickets, and clothing donated by local vendors.

While the models and performers took the spotlight, the success of the evening would not have been possible without the dedicated stage crew, who managed lighting, sound, and set design, as well as the Key Club officers who helped organize the event. Weeks of preparation went into creating the lineup and making the night a success.

The Fashion Show was about more than just style—it was about community and unity. The event brought together students from all grades, teachers, families, and local businesses, showing what can be achieved when the Carle Place community works together for a meaningful cause.