Renuka Prenosil, a Laurel Springs Upper School student, was drawn to fashion as a young girl. “When I was nine years old, I would read books about designing your own dresses for models,” she said. She started watching documentaries about the fashion industry, and she learned how to use a sewing machine. “I fell in love with fashion design and thought that maybe it can be a career path.” Renuka isn’t waiting until after graduation to pursue her passion for couture. Thanks to the flexibility of online high school and the industry-focused curriculum pathways that Laurel Springs offers, she’s able to start exploring her interests now.
A Holistic Approach to Academics
How does Renuka connect her affinity for fashion design with academics as an online school student? “I’ll be taking a fashion course at Laurel Springs next semester,” she said, “and I continue to take French—both to be able to speak the language if I work or go to school in Paris, and because a lot of fashion terms are in French.”
After attending school in Thailand, where she was raised, and in Chicago, where she has family, Renuka transferred to Laurel Springs. “My dad and I looked for top online schools, when I saw how many electives LSS offers, including courses about my interests, it seemed like the best school for me.” Renuka went on to say that she feels her Laurel Springs coursework in the Visual Arts curriculum pathway will help show her dedication and knowledge of the fashion industry, especially as someone who is still in high school.
Transforming Interests into Future Plans
In addition, Renuka takes advantage of the personalized academic planning provided by her Laurel Springs School college counselor. “I told my counselor about my interests and might take a course in movie production next year.” Renuka follows the careers of movie costume designers, especially when they create outfits that embody a character’s personality, such as Cinderella’s blue dress in the recent live action Disney movie. “I feel like I might be able to put two worlds together.”
While Renuka is still perfecting her own sewing skills, she’s focused on attending fashion school after graduation. She has her sights set on Paris and hopes to learn about fashion, design, and marketing, with the hope of building her own fashion line. Her college counselor is helping her prepare for university applications.
Renuka sees the online college prep program at Laurel Springs as a way to be proactive about her future by taking rigorous courses that are aligned with her interests. If you’re curious about our career-oriented curriculum, contact the admissions office or speak with your Laurel Springs representative. Our individualized approach to school honors the learning styles and personal interests of each student.
