2013 Fashion Front Awards Teams Up with Afterschool ART to Benefit Arts Education For Hawaii Youth

NEW YORK - April 5, 2013 - PRLog -- [Honolulu, HI] Scheduled for Thursday, June 6th, 2013, the 2013 Fashion Front Awards Hawaii will be the place to be for fashion lovers, featuring six of Hawaii's favorite emerging fashion designers taking to the runway to raise awareness on the importance of arts education for Hawaii's youth. Benefiting arts programs offered by Afterschool ART (www.AfterschoolARTHawaii.org), guests will enjoy live music performances, delicious cuisine and cocktails, and partake in a powerful networking opportunity designed to spotlight rising talent. Several awards will be presented to individuals and businesses that have positively affected Hawaii's fashion community. Three celebrity judges, all of which are local Honolulu favorites, will chose one of the six presenting designers to receive the coveted Fashion Front Award, which includes a public relations contract, a retail sales contract, and many other prizes from event partners.

“Afterschool ART's mission includes using non-traditional school times, provide professional artists for youth-at-risk students (and, as appropriate, their families) to explore diverse art forms in a creative hands-on quality experience to enhance self-awareness and self-esteem”.

Afterschool ART was founded by Dr. Bob Grossmann in 2004, after having the opportunity to be briefed by staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health agencies, when he served as a Fellow for then Secretary of Health, Donna Shalala (1995-1996). He has found that youth respond to programs that bring quality art supplies and professional artists to where the youth-at-risk live and learn. Dr. Grossmann has confirmed to speak at the 2013 Fashion Front Awards Hawaii, discussing the vitality of community support for arts education programs for Hawaii at-risk youth.

The Progressive Policy Institute based in Washington, DC issued a 2004 report on the importance of quality after school programs, which found: “Afternoon is a dangerous time for American teenagers…afterschool hours—from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.—are the peak period for experimentation with drugs, alcohol cigarettes, and sex, “ Of those between the age of 12 and 17 in Hawaii, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy found in 2001, that 9.72% had alcohol or illicit drug dependence or abuse; the figure rises alarmingly to 17.68% for those aged 18-25. Maui and Hawaii counties have the highest state rates needing substance abuse treatment.

The 2013 Fashion Front Awards will be hosted at Honolulu's ThirtyNineHotel (www.ThirtyNineHotel.com), an internationally recognized Chinatown art gallery and award-winning cocktail bar. ThirtyNineHotel is located at 39 N Hotel St Honolulu, HI 96817. The 2013 Fashion Front Awards begins at 9PM, with venue doors opening at 8PM. Doors close to guests at 9PM. Early arrival is suggested. Guests may RSVP for this event by e-mail FashionRSVP@LawrenceBlake.com. Press may RSVP by e-mailing HonoluluPress@LawrenceBlake.com. Guest panel of celebrity judges, presenting designers, and music performances will be announced shortly.

To learn more about the 2013 Fashion Front Awards please visit http://FashionFront.LawrenceBlake.com. The 2013 Fashion Front Awards is hosted by Lawrence Blake Group Int’l (www.LawrenceBlake.com), rising New York based corporate communications firm. A spokesperson from Afterschool ART, participating designers, and celebrity guest judges will be available for live interviews. For information please contact L. Blake Harvey, 646.481.8237, Fashion@LawrenceBlake.com. Follow Lawrence Blake Group Int’l on Twitter and Facebook for event updates. www.Twitter.com/LawrenceBlakePR. www.Facebook.com/LawrenceBlakeGroup.