Cates contacted the heart association and was connected to marketing director Erin Kiekbusch. When she heard the idea, “I jumped all over it,” Kiekbusch said.

Kiekbusch visited the fashion class to educate the students about heart disease — its prevalence, warning signs, risk factors and prevention — and the students incorporated that new information and awareness into the design of their dresses.

Jarret Levin, Overland Park, is a junior from Blue Valley Northwest High School. “I thought it was a pretty cool idea,” Levin said. “I was excited to do this project.”

Many of the students expressed their surprise that heart disease kills more women than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. “It was mind-blowing,” said DeAundre’ Kurney, Overland Park, a Shawnee Mission South senior.

Delaney Eilts, Overland Park, also attends Shawnee Mission South. She wanted her dress to be symbolic of the Go Red For Women campaign. “I wanted it to have a feminine yet strong feel,” Eilts said, “because women who have been affected by heart disease have to be strong to continue to fight the disease and to become healthy.” Eilts incorporated a unique feather belt into her dress design to represent the many unique stories of women who have been touched by heart disease.

Carly Griffith, Leawood, used monarch butterflies on her dress, inspired by the song “Careful” by Paramore. “I hope this spreads awareness and people reach out,” said Griffith, a junior from Shawnee Mission East.

Like most of the design assignments, the red dresses were constructed in half-scale. Cates explained that the smaller version focuses the students’ attention on the drafting and design of the garment, rather than putting their effort into fitting it on themselves or a live model.

At the end of the year, the students can choose one of their projects to translate into a full-scale garment. Maurisa Valentine, Shawnee, a junior at Shawnee Mission North, is delighted with her dress, especially the crisscross straps in the back. “I would love to see what it looks like in full-scale,” Valentine said. “I would love to wear it.”

In addition to the red dresses, Kiekbusch is encouraging the students to spread the word about heart disease by participating in a class contest. The student who registers the most people for the Go Red movement will receive a gift certificate for a massage or manicure.

The Go Red registrants will then receive quarterly newsletters with information on new programs, statistics and heart-healthy tips and recipes. “It’s a nice, full circle project for us,” Kiekbusch said.

“Any project for something like heart awareness or heart disease – it’s a good idea,” said Amanda Vaeth, an Overland Park senior at Blue Valley North.

Most of the students plan to pursue fashion careers. Vaeth will probably major in fashion design at Kansas State University. Levin aspires to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Kurney would like to combine fashion design with modeling or dance, perhaps at UMKC or Johnson County Community College.

Caroline Sheridan, Mission Hills, is headed to Columbia College, in Columbia, Mo., next fall. The Shawnee Mission East senior is in the second year, advanced section of the fashion design class at Broadmoor. She relishes the opportunity to have her own design on display at a retail store, as well as the connection to the heart association. “Fashion can inspire women,” Sheridan said, “and we — high schoolers — can be a part of it.”

Ciara Murphy knows that the more education people receive, the more lives will ultimately be saved. “These students are really making a huge statement,” Murphy said. “They’re really speaking up by doing this.”

Janel Cates agrees. “It’s not just making a dress just to be making one,” Cates said. “It’s a greater purpose than themselves.”

Red dresses created by the fashion design and construction class at the Broadmoor Technical Center are on display during the month of February in these Park Place stores: Annabelles, Bella B’s, Envy Boutique, KC Surroundings, J. Hathaway Shoe Boutique and The Rice Gallery

For more information on heart disease or the Go Red For Women campaign, go to www.americanheart.org