The Camille La Vie dress came from Group USA at Sawgrass Mills. It’s full-length and strapless, predominantly white with strips of material with a gold-and-black design on the sides. The top is beaded and gold, giving it a flair of ancient Egypt.
Jamie Clement loved it enough to wear it to The King’s Academy prom in May. Seventeen magazine loved it enough to name her the winner of its “Show Us Your Prom Style Contest.”
“They said they liked my dress the best, and they also liked the way I looked,” said Clement, who traveled to New York to do a photo shoot for the magazine’s March issue. “I was on the phone crying. I was freaking out.”
The trip and the photo shoot – images of which also will be seen in the Camille La Vie and Group USA catalogs online – capped what began as a lovely evening for Clement, then a junior at the private school near Wellington.
“It was the first time I had gone to a formal dance, as our school doesn’t have homecoming dances,” Clement said. “All of my friends went, and we took a limousine. We had a nice dinner, and it was a whole lot of fun.”
After the prom, Jamie’s mom, Laurie, submitted her photo to the contest. The phone call came in mid-November and the all-expense-paid trip to New York quickly after that. Her prize included two nights at a hip hotel, a $1,000 shopping spree and a tour of Seventeen’s offices.
“I had wanted to go to New York before Christmas and then this came along,” Clement said. “We got to see the Rockettes at Radio City and walked around the city for 12 hours one day.”
It added to what has been a busy senior year for Clement, who is co-captain of her school’s varsity cheerleading squad, which has won state titles the last two years, took second at nationals last year and hopes to win championships at both competitions this year.
Clement said all her friends are eagerly awaiting the magazine’s arrival.
“They want to see my photos,” she said, “and they want my autograph.”
Who are your heroes?
‘My parents and my grandma. They have always been there for me and are great role models.’
What’s your favorite subject at school?
‘I’d have to say science. I think it’s most interesting and I can apply it to my life. I’m going to be a surgeon, studying next year as a pre-med at the University of Alabama. I really have enjoyed my human physiology and biology classes.’
What is your favorite book?
‘The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It’s not just a normal book about average people. Everyone is stronger than the lead character, but she has the strongest will to win.’
What do you like best about attending The King’s Academy?
‘Attending a religious-based school, the students have a righteous way about them. They help keep you going in the right direction instead of leading you down the wrong path.’
What historical event would you have liked to have been present at?
‘The crucifixion of Jesus. I would have liked to have been an eyewitness to tell that story.’