Round Lake Middle School students browse classroom boutique before dance, graduation

ROUND LAKE – Students missing their eighth grade dance or graduation because they didn't own formal wear was not something Round Lake Middle School teacher Christie Teetsov was going to let happen.

Teetsov scoured the community for donations and set up a classroom boutique.

“I love this community and these kids deserve so much,” she said.

During a planning meeting for “Spa Day,” an event where volunteers do eighth grade girls’ hair and makeup before the big dance (held April 29), the discussion turned to the fact that some would not take part because they did not have a dress to wear.

With the school’s enthusiastic approval, Teetsov hit the ground running to collect donations of new and gently used dresses, handbags, shoes and jewelry for the girls and jackets and ties for the boys.

Teachers and support staff throughout the entire school dug into their home closets to find items to donate, and Teetsov made the rounds at area resale stores, including Home of the Sparrow's Mundelein location.

“I was just looking around and pulled right in. I told them the situation and the manager pulled out a cart with all these prom dresses and handbags," Teetsov said. "This generosity has done so much for this community."

As it turned out, Teetsov's timing was perfect. Home of the Sparrow, a nonprofit that offers affordable housing, transitional shelters and apartments in addition to operating six thrift stores in Lake and McHenry counties, had just received donations of prom dresses from an inaugural charity event called "My Sister's Dress."

Home of the Sparrow is fortunate to have individuals and organizations make donations to their thrift stores and host clothing drives, said Debbie DeGraw, vice president of marketing/public relations and development.

“It’s like a village helping a lot of different people in a lot of different ways. When people make donations, they can rest assured we will use them to help others out,” DeGraw said. “It’s nice to know we supported Round Lake Middle School. We try to be good partners and collaborators with a lot of different organizations.”

Home of the Sparrow's next big fundraiser with be "A Night at the Derby" On May 14 at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights.

No stigma

To ensure there was no stigma attached to requesting or receiving a donation, students earned tickets to “buy” items in the classroom boutique by getting to class and completing assignments on time, and not having any disciplinary actions.

With a fiancee in the military, Teetsov has bought dresses for formal events that she’s worn only a couple time and knows how expensive it can get.

“I told the students I would totally be into this,” she said.

Round Lake Middle School works hard to ensure students’ needs are met, and the classroom boutique was one example of that care, said Lanelle Collins, assistant principal.

“A lot of times students just don’t have what they need, and part of developing the whole child is making sure they’re OK the whole way around. Our teachers stepped in and donated, and Ms. Teetsov gathered donations from other places. It was a big success and we had a great response from the students,” she said.

The school’s classroom boutique was offered to eighth-graders over three days. About 60 students “shopped” for an outfit to wear to the dance, their May 17 graduation and any other special occasion they may have.

“They did a great job presenting and setting up the boutique so it didn’t look like a classroom,” Collins said.

“We had a ton of donations, really quality stuff. We definitely plan to do this again next year,” Teetsov said.

Unused items were boxed up for next year’s event. The school also plans to have a fashion show where students will model the dresses for each other.