Surrey Schools fashion students recognized at city hall
Students from the district's WRAP program met with former Mayor Brenda Locke this past summer in recognition for their achievement in a unique fashion program.A group of current and former Surrey students are beaming after being recognized by former Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke for creating their own designer apparel as part of a specialized program last school year.
In a partnership between Surrey Schools' Wraparound (WRAP) program and Solid State Community Industries, the students took part in a fashion cohort focused on sustainable, local production of limited-edition apparel. Along the way, they built their own brands and designs and learned about the industry and themselves.
Their connection with the former mayor started with a surprise. After the program wrapped up, each student received a certificate of recognition from Locke in the mail.
"We didn't do any of that. That just came unprompted," said Michael Sosnowsky, WRAP Family Coordinator with the district's Safe Schools department.
Sosnowsky had the certificates framed and he then gathered the students for a group photo to send to Locke as a thank-you.
"We thought, okay, that'll be it," he said.
A few weeks later though, an invitation arrived to come meet the then-mayor at city hall.
"She was just really excited to meet these guys," Sosnowsky recalled. "I can't really describe how impactful it was for the youth. They were so excited.”
According to Sosnowsky, when the meeting day finally arrived, Locke sat with the students for 45 minutes and they came ready to speak. Unprompted, they raised how hard it is for young people to find work and how few opportunities there are to gain hands-on experience in a field they're passionate about, as they had with fashion.
"Each of them had something to say," said Sosnowsky. "Everybody was attentive and well spoken. It was ear-to-ear smiling the entire time."
At the end of the meeting, Locke told the students they could list their certificates on their resumes as a character reference and that city hall would back that up. She also said she was interested in inviting them back to share their perspective as part of a youth council.
For Sosnowsky, that invitation matters as much as the recognition. Two of the young men have already graduated and he sees it as a chance for them to picture themselves as community leaders.
"They might get to have an input into where the next park or playground goes, or what youth groups could really reach young people," he said. "It's like, ‘Hey, I did this, and it wasn't for nothing.’ Your voice is meaningful."
He added that for many of the students, a moment like this can shape what comes next.
"They are the future of Surrey," he said. "Any kind of leg up is super meaningful."
As for what's next, Sosnowsky and the program's two facilitators, Pam Gutierrez and Jshandeep Jassal, hope to launch a new cohort for girls next spring. It would follow the same model, pairing hands-on skills such as nail art, lash application and perfume blending with lessons on sustainability and how to safely set up a small business.
Like the first cohort, it would end with an exhibition for families and school staff. The team is now looking for a funding partner to make it happen.
"When you believe in someone, support them, and give them the space to grow, they can go the distance," Gutierrez said.
Jassal said the cohort shows "what can happen when young people who are typically stereotyped or underestimated are given a chance to find an alternate path and claim their power."
