Overview:
Students at John F. Kennedy High School transformed newspapers into wearable designs as part of a hands-on classroom project that combined creativity, teamwork and fashion design.
Students in a Family and Consumer Science class at John F. Kennedy High School recently discovered that newspapers can do more than tell stories, they can become works of art.
Under the guidance of teacher Mikayla Titcomb, students designed and constructed dresses made entirely from newspaper as part of a hands-on fashion and design project. The assignment encouraged creativity while introducing students to the design process from concept to completion.
The project took students through multiple stages: sketching ideas, drafting designs, building garments, and making final adjustments. For one ninth-grade student, the process was as rewarding as the finished piece.
“I loved this whole project, the sketches, designing, drafts, building (and rebuilding), and especially the final,” the student said. “I think I connected with the project most when we were putting everything together at the end, pinning all the pieces on the bodice, and making sure everything was symmetrical.”
That stage, the student said, allowed the team to see the results of their work come together.
“I appreciated and connected with this part so much because I’m really a perfectionist. My favorite part of everything I do, whether it’s a project, performance, or really anything, is the final result,” the student said. “When we got to put the finishing touches on this dress after putting so much time and effort into it, I got to see and like the outcome. It’s even more special when you know it was a team effort and can see all the work each of us put into it.”
The project also carried personal meaning. The same student said the experience reminded them of time spent learning to sew with a family member.
“I think this project represents how much I value the things I’ve learned from my family,” the student said. “My grandma taught me how to sew and design when I was young. We would make things like this out of real fabric, and I always had so much fun with her.”
Working on the newspaper dress brought those memories back.
“Doing this project let me find those memories and that part of me that I loved and reminds me of her,” the student said. “I showed her what we made after it was finished and it was so special to be able to talk to her about the process and relate it to things we had done together.”
A tenth-grade student who worked on another dress said they connected most with shaping the skirt and train.
“The part I connected to the most was the skirt and the train, because of the way it was formed and the overall shape of the skirt,” the student said. “I love the length and style, and I was really glad to create something in that style.”
For that student, the project also reflected a growing interest in design.
“It represents the passion I have for design and that flamboyant style,” the student said.
According to Titcomb, projects like this help students combine practical skills with artistic expression. By transforming everyday materials into wearable designs, students practice problem-solving, collaboration, and attention to detail.
Two of the dresses highlighted in the project included a design featuring a pleated waist with a darker contrast belt and another inspired by the flowing shape of a peacock’s feathers.
While the dresses were created using simple materials, the project offered students an opportunity to explore creativity, teamwork, and the possibilities of design, one newspaper page at a time.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.