On Dollar Dress Down Days at DePaul College Prep, the hallways look a little different. Hoodies replace polos, sweatpants replace khakis, and students hand over a dollar for the chance to dress down casually. But, the Dollar Dress Down Days are more than comfort and fashion and serve as a simple but powerful way for the DePaul Prep community to come together and support meaningful charities representing core values of FRESH.
Originated by Student Government, Dollar Dress Down Days offer students the chance to dress down more often in exchange for a small donation, and are held a few times each school year. The funds raised are in support of a variety of charitable causes that mean something to people at DePaul Prep, making the fundraiser both impactful and accessible for the DePaul Prep community.
The funds raised are in support of organizations such as The Danny Did Foundation, Misericordia, and Lurie Children’s Hospital, reflecting the school’s commitment to the core values of FRESH. By giving students the opportunity to contribute to causes centered on compassion, medical care, and community support, dress down days encourage service-minded action and reinforce the importance of caring for others.
Behind every Dollar Dress Down Day at DePaul College Prep is intentional planning rooted in service and community engagement. Britt Parker, Assistant Director of Student Activities, who assists with coordinating the fundraisers, provided insight into how these values guide both the planning process, and her role in encouraging students to give back.
“The whole purpose of Dollar Dress Down Days is that you are supporting something that is a really good cause within the community, something that affects people directly at our school,” Parker said.
Focusing on community-centred causes the Dollar Dress Down Days move beyond a simple incentive and become an opportunity for students to be active participants in service.
“The student government team seeks student input, and from there, charities are selected based on what will be best in serving the community,” Parker added. “Weeks prior to each dress down day, the student government team works with the Cup of Joe team to advocate for the chosen cause, while also including guidelines and rules to ensure the whole idea is clearly communicated.”
By involving students in the selection of the charities, the fundraiser becomes a collaboration across the school. This student-driven approach highlights the roles of leadership and engagement in the success of every dollar dress down day.
As a senior class rep for the 2026 seniors, Charlie Greene played a role in organizing and promoting dollar dress down days. Greene offers insight into how student leadership contributes to the success of the fundraisers.
“As a member of the student government, we all have the responsibility to come up with our own initiatives for dress down days. We consider all factors and as students we take into consideration what our peers want to support and how they want to support it,” Greene said. “It is important to find a fair ground with students and administrators to guarantee a successful fundraiser both rule -wise and idea- wise and can oftentimes be a challenge.”
Greene’s student-led approach ensures that dress down days reflect causes that students genuinely care about, which increases participation and the overall outcome and impact.
