Attraction – Laurier Senior High School's 2007 Show With Fashion

"I'm not an artist," says Alan De Souza, senior advisor to the 2007 Laurier Senior High School Fashion Show, Attraction – A Show With Fashion, "but I think that Picasso was right on the mark with his description of art as the beautiful lie that reveals truth."

Mr. De Souza may not fancy himself an artist but he has an artist's flair with his consummate ability to bring out the truths of talent, commitment, and excellence in the 200 or so young people of his school who year after year come out come out to be part of what has now become an artistic tradition at Laurier Senior High School.

"In eight years and nine shows, I've had the privilege and pleasure of working with about 2,000 teenagers who showed beyond a doubt that there is art and beauty in something as simple as a fashion show," Mr. De Souza told Courrier Laval.

"Through the years, young people have convinced me that given the slimmest opportunity, they will go to great lengths to speak the truth, in this case the truth that we are all striving to make of our lives a meaningful exercise in service to others. And believe me, truth is not easy to come by. In far too many situations truth is sacrificed to looking good, feeling good, and what's in for me. But let me assure you that this has not been my experience with the young people with whom I've worked for nearly a decade. Their sacrifices speak volumes for the care and concern we all should have for the needs of others."

In the context of the much-maligned public schools whose communities, contrary to the perceptions of taxpayers, are rich in dedicated educators who do not ever count the extra unpaid hours they contribute to their work with children, Mr. De Souza and several of his colleagues give of themselves in ways beyond what anyone can imagine.

And much to their credit, they expect very little in return, save for the support of the families and friends of the students who make up the cast and crew of this annual wonderful extravaganza of fashion and fun that has become the Laurier Senior High School Show With Fashion.

"We do this work with pleasure, although as with everything else in life is there ever any pleasure without pain?" the ever-philosophical Mr. De Souza answered, when questioned on the why of these annual commitments on his part and that of a handful of other adults who spend more than six months living and learning with a couple of hundred young people.

"We have a very simple approach. We take the young people at face value at first, and then with their help we share with them the enriching human experience of working as team to produce a show which for many people provides a few hours of delicious relief from the mundane ordinary demands of the daily grind of life."

So, with the collaboration of Dominic Di Stefano, spiritual animator, Isabelle Boucher, teacher, and Lina Varano, parent, Alan De Souza takes the raw talent of young people and shapes, with lots of goodness and blood, sweat and tears, a production that serves a multiplicity of purposes:

"These young people deserve to learn what makes for success in any human endeavour – it's not what you have that counts it's what you're willing to do with it," says the veteran showman who adds that he and his colleagues thrive on the challenge of bringing cohesion, unity, and a sense of belonging to a group of young people of many nationalities, beliefs, cultural origins, and economic milieus.

"Don't misunderstand our mission," he cautions, "we're not here to replace the parents, families, teachers, or friends of the members of the cast and crew. We're here to complement their efforts to bring out the best in these young people that come forward to work long and hard in preparation for three nights that will help shape their minds, hearts and souls for the rest of their lives."

"No doubt, there are growing pains involved," says Dominic Di Stefano, Laurier High spiritual animator and one of Mr. De Souza's faithful collaborators. "These young people," he adds, "come to us with much talent, great intentions, lots of enthusiasm, boundless energy and full of the kind of free-spirited passion that needs channeling and directing into positive expression, and that's the goal we set for ourselves as educators – to bring out the best these young people have to offer in the service of others."

For her part, parent Lina Varano, a veteran of several fashion shows she's helped Mr. De Souza put on, says of her contribution: "It's time and effort well spent. I'm gratified year after year to see young people grow into young adults in just a few months, and I'm very happy to be a part of this great educational experience. I'll keep on doing it for as long as it's needed."

The Laurier Senior High Fashion Show is a major fund-raiser for several charitable organizations that include La Maison Prélude, the Children's Wish Foundation, the Canadian Breast Cancer Society, and Le Bon Dieu Dans La Rue.

Highly successful artistically and financially, the production also fuels school activities with some of the funds generated by the three performances which usually play to standing room only audiences. One of these school activities is the annual Christmas Baskets Campaign. "If you're attending the show, please bring an item or two of non-perishable food/supplies for the disadvantaged of our community," concludes Alan De Souza