Fifty students from Highland Middle School got a jump start on planning their careers.  FDM faculty hosted the students on January 23, 2023 and gave them a glimpse of college life.  A creative challenge to redesign a t-shirt using only safety pins and beads resulted in punk-inspired, ripped and torn versions along with cropped two-piece shirt and skirt outfits.  "I really loved making my new favorite shirt, and it helped boost my confidence in fashion," a student said.  The middle-schoolers also observed a design class, learning about pattern-making and draping fabric, and posing questions to the UHM design students. On the technology portion of the visit, students engaged in hands-on experimenting with fashion design CAD software and avatars used in fashion research.  One student remarked that she could not want to begin college: "the trip to UH Manoa was very interesting, but also fun and exciting. I loved seeing the designs in one of the rooms which was about fashion. I was in love with everything that was happening there, and I can't wait to go there again one day. I hope that once I'm in high school, I'll be able to make it happen [by taking the fashion academy classes]."  –Andy Reilly & Jacqueline Tani