Tulle skirt afloat and makeup done just so, the East High senior was a vision of confidence, beauty and poise as she and two dozen other young women prepared to walk the runway at the annual Club Les Dames Debutante Cotillion. Established in 1960 by Olabelle Reed and Janet Norman Jackson, Club Les Dames promotes personal growth, better community relations and education among young black women. Good character, high academic achievement and community involvement landed each of the 25 girls, all graduating seniors, a spot on the debutante roster. Once a young lady has been approved to participate in the cotillion, she is paired with a club member who helps guide her through post-high school plans. Waterloo native Evette Creighton, diversity manager for Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, presented a program she developed that empowers young women of color. "The cotillion workshops have been really helpful in deciding what I want to do," she said. Since 1987, 496 young ladies have debuted at the cotillion. For African-American young women to have an event that celebrates their accomplishments and allows the community to come together, there was a lot of excitement.