2010 – 2025 | Fifteen Years of Dedication at The High of Fashion Industries
Appointed as a Fashion Design Instructor
Eighteen Years after graduating from the same High School
- Taught 9th Year FD : Intro to Design – 10th Year FD : Construction – 11th Year FD : Patternmaking and Draping – 12th Year : FD Senior Studio & NOCTI for FD Seniors
- Taught various classes in the Business Major as a team effort due to school/student needs
- Spearheaded the Capstone Fashion Design Senior class for selected students focused on Fashion-focused post secondary education such as FIT, Parsons, Central Saint Martin, University of Arts London, Cornell, LIM and so on. Graduation rate continues at 100%
(schools named are prime examples of where graduates moved onto after completion of course) - Took on new teaching projects such as THE CURVY LAB, plus size focused course under the care of Angela Oriley. This innovative curriculum was the brainchild of master plus-size fit model Angie, armed with decades of experience | INSTAGRAM
CTE SOARR – Credit recovery 2017-2023
- Supported the CTE Department with initiating, organizing, outreach, follow-up and instructing at-risk students with needed CTE credits for graduation
- Advised and oversaw students not on track to earning CTE credits which lead to a CTE diploma, with the aim to make up work by creating their own projects on their own time in all three majors – ART, BUSINESS & FASHION DESIGN
- Projects were tracked and adjusted to meet curriculum guidelines in order to meet required seat time and earn credit
ADMISSIONS ASSOCIATE 2013-2024
- Created calendars, announcements, flyers, and communicated followups with over 500 NYC Middle School and Charter School staff in all five boroughs for Admissions News – Regularly maintained Middle School and Charter School contacts list for all 5 boroughs
- PRECOVID – Assisted the admissions process with organizing in person applicants (-/+500) for auditions for all three majors, ART, BUSINESS & FASHION DESIGN in Fall and Spring semesters before the NYC DOE application opened
- POSTCOVID – Created and maintained documentation of IN-PERSON & ONLINE applicants (-/+1000) for all three majors, ART, BUSINESS & FASHION DESIGN year long
- PORTFOLIO PREP – Organized complete logistics and personally hosted program for 8th graders in the Fall and Early Portfolio Prep program for 7th graders in the Spring Filled out permits for access to building, created flyers for event, communicated to families and schools, scheduled teachers and supported them with supplies and time-keeping
- Greeted, advised, and informed all potential families at every event about the NYC DOE admissions process and how to navigate it
- Supported teachers with portfolio review at end of every program in all three majors
- PORTFOLIO REVIEW – Participated in and organized fellow CTE teachers with reviewing -/+1,500 portfolios for all three majors within the span of 8 weeks before NYC DOE deadline
- SCHOOL TOURS – Curated, and hosted tours by middle school and charter school groups and viceversa to target middle schools
- CTE FAIRS – Traveled to and participated in annual City Wide and Borough Wide fairs to represent school by informing potential families of majors, programs, opportunities school has to offer Assisted in organizing Manhattan Borough Wide fair when it took place at HSFI – organized layout for guest schools within the school building and greeted them upon arrival
- FASHION AMBASSADORS Organizer – Created, recruited and groomed students within three majors as representative of the school. Organized students by event and major, documented their time served and logged in as CTE hours in NYC Career Pathways platform
- Created Social Media page @fashionhighadmissions – posting continuous campaigns to advertise and promote admissions events and opportunities – tagged middle schools and charter schools as a means of communication
POWER WOMAN of MANHATTAN 2022– earned the acknowledgement of like-minded peers
CTE TEACHER of THE YEAR – 2017 – earned the acknowledgement of my CTE colleagues
VOLUNTEER SPONSOR OF OPPORTUNITIES
- Connected students during the pandemic by hand delivering packets of needed supplies and post-mailing resources such as printing to assist with their success
- Created and curated Online Digital Classroom platform as a way to engage students and increase performance
- Created and curated teen centered advise website – www.dearteenagers.com
- Today’s Girl Tomorrow’s Woman – connected, and chaperoned students to attend annual female empowerment event
- TEEN GEMS – 92Y Jewelry Making Program – connected students to apply and follow through in completion of program
- Costume Design Intro – connected alumni in the field with current students interested in another fascinating avenue in Fashion Design
- FIT PORTFOLIO PREVIEW DAY – organized and escorted potential graduating seniors to portfolio event at FIT
- NYC TEEN FASHION WEEK – organized and escorted fashion students to participate in local fashion show focused on young talent
- WELCOMING BOWLING PARTY – organized, curated and personally funded a welcoming party for incoming students
- GUEST SPEAKER SERIES – participate in and organized multiple sessions between alumni and current students – 30 years Reunion guest panel – Georgina Jean Dusseck – Mabel DeLaCruz Smitherman – Harlem Fashion Week – Design Tutorials – Chris Louk – many others
- Founded non-profit for the benefit of all financially challenged students – Power of One for All
- Began, organized and funded a non NYC DoE affiliated study abroad program from 2012-2022 as a college credit earning avenue for urban high school students. High School students from Stuyvesant and Truman participated in the summer abroad program.
2005 – 2009 | Living Abroad
After earning my BFA, I decided to pivot my life’s trajectory and stay in Florence where I worked for various leather companies established in Italy and England.
My 5 year residence allowed me to become fluent in Italian and expand my network of colleagues whom today I call ‘amici’.
Two former work partnerships are profound and after 20 years continue to exist in my circle:
Pierotucci – collaborated as a ‘jack of all trades’ from designing to marketing
Italgroup, SRL – collaborated as salesperson for the NYC market
1998 – 2005 | FIT and Studying Abroad
In the seven years it took to earn my degree, I continued serving as a Per Diem and Regular Substitute in NYC Public Schools, such as William H. Maxwell in Brooklyn, Roberto Clemente Middle School and Louis Brandeis High School in Manhattan, Alfred E. Smith and Bronx Theatre High School in the former John F. Kennedy High School building, both in the Bronx.
My BFA earned in 2005 from FIT
The last name Carvajal was underlined to highlight the importance of it. I put into words the ‘why’ in my blog post: My Last Day as Ms.
The last year at FIT was completed in Florence, Italy in 2005.
The lessons learned from that experience are invaluable and are instrumental to who I am as a teacher.
1993-1998 | The SVA Experience
The SVA program is a FIVE YEAR long commitment that concentrates on exposing promising young adult apprentices to three components that result in INITIAL CERTIFICATION as a Career and Technical Education Instructor – Industry Experience in the high school field graduated from – Classroom Experience & College credit needed to begin teaching
My experiences in the Industry took place in the Childrenswear and Boutique Management sector, while the classrooms I cemented my path towards teaching were at my alma mater, Fashion High and William H. Maxwell High School. The college credits needed for initial certification were obtained at City College of NY
After the completion of the program, I discovered that unlike other CTE fields, Fashion Design instructors need a Bachelors in Fine Arts in order to teach it at the high school level. This began my years at The Fashion Institute of Technology and continued my experience in the classroom as a substitute for various nyc public schools.
1993 – Accepted as an Apprentice
Success Via Apprenticeship
NYC Department of Education Teaching program in partnership with the United Federation of Teachers, seeking to recruit, train and hire specifically Career and Technical Education High School graduates within certain fields to fulfill the need for future teachers.
In its third decade, the program has become the pathway to educational leadership for many people I know, such as current Asst. Principals – June Arcamay at High School of Fashion Industries and current Principals, Moses Ojeda at Thomas Edison High School and Joe Arzuaga at Westinghouse High School.
1992 – The Start
Graduated The High School of Fashion Industries. Recommended to apply to the SVA program by two amazing teachers, Ms. Manning and Ms. Strauss.
Rosa Isabel Chavez 