Alejandra Cano is organizing a fashion show this week to raise money for some of Carson City's most vulnerable children.
The 17-year-old is focusing on poverty as the topic of her senior project and has recruited students from Fritsch Elementary School to model in a fashion show Friday evening.
Proceeds from the show will go to the Educator's Closet, which provides clothing and supplies to children in the Carson City School District's Kids in Transition program, which serves about 400 children.
Children who qualify for the program are homeless or live in motels, campgrounds or doubling up with other families.
"I didn't know there was such a thing as the Educator's Closet until this year," Cano said. "I didn't know there were that many kids who didn't have clothes."
Carson High School seniors are required to complete a senior project as part of their English classes. Students must write a research paper then complete a tangible project that coincides with the subject of the paper.
As the final element, they present their projects to a panel of community members in April.
Through her research, Cano said, she has learned a lot about poverty and how to combat it.
"People don't know there are resources out there that can help them," she said. "People need to make
themselves more educated about that."
Cano said she hopes to raise about $500 from the fashion show that will feature 13 students, including her 5-year-old sister Lupita.
Jeannette Famoso, coordinator for the Kids in Transition program, said the money will go to help provide some of the "special" items, including socks, underwear and school supplies.
"I'm so excited," Famoso said. "She's done an excellent job."
There will be a raffle and baked-goods sale at the fashion show as well.