Shoe collection could win Rome High $50,000
If fashion is a passion — especially footwear fashion — a peek on Rome High’s website might be necessary, because several students have developed a collection of handpainted Vans shoes.
The collection has been picked by the Vans Custom Culture contest judges as one of the top 10 in the region and the top 50 in the nation. If voting goes in their favor, they could go on to nationals and win $50,000 for Rome High’s art program.
The five young women responsible for those designs are members of the National Art Honor Society chapter at Rome High. They found out about the contest through Keilly Comix’s mother.
“My mom is addicted to shoes,” said Keilly, a senior and designer of one pair of Vans. “She saw the flyer for the contest when she was shopping and brought it to me. I knew our art program needs money, so I brought it to our teacher.”
Art teacher Susan Biggers liked the idea and registered Rome High. Vans sent a package with four pairs of plain Vans in different styles — sneakers, high tops and slip-ons.
The rules stated that each pair must have a design featuring one of the four themes: sports involving a board, such as skateboarding, snowboarding or surfing; art; music; and local flavor.
Keilly took on the local flavor, painting her pair with the iconic Clock Tower. Hyemin Yoo and Ryoko Goseki, both juniors, partnered to create a music-themed pair. Isabella Garrett Roberson, a sophomore, used the art theme. Senior Lauren Moye chose the board sports theme.
“Ms. Biggers asked us to do it just a few days before the due date,” said Ryoko. “We just jumped into it.”
Ryoko and Hyemin had one day to paint after they came up with their idea.
“We stayed up all night painting them and got them finished on the last day to submit a picture,” Ryoko added.
Isabella said her inspiration to use the art theme came from her love of drawing.
“It’s mostly just something I do all the time, draw,” she said. “Ms. Biggers gave us a shoe template in class as a daily grade, and I never thought mine would be picked, but it was.”
Biggers said she asked her students for input on ideas for the designs.
“Several students submitted ideas and then our NAHS group went through the ideas and pulled out suggestions they could use,” she explained. “The shoes really are like a school project. We were so pleased and we’ve been encouraging everyone to vote.”
Lauren said she was given the board sports theme because everyone liked her original design, but when she started on the real pair of Vans, she decided to start over.
“I wanted to use a wave design and it incorporates the board sports theme,” she said.
None of the young women expected their designs to make it to the regionals.
“There were about 3,000 schools entered,” said Biggers. “Our shoes were chosen to be in the top 10 in our southeastern region.”
Rome is one of three schools in Georgia picked. The voting site is linked on Rome High’s website as well as through Vans Custom Culture.
Anyone may vote for Rome High’s collection once a day through May 11. If Rome’s collection is in the top five in the region, they continue to the national competition in Los Angeles. Winners of the region will be notified on May 12 and winners of the national contest will be picked in mid-June.
“If we can get to nationals, we are going to Los Angeles,” said Keilly. “It would be great if we could win the $50,000 for the school. It’s all about getting the votes.”