Thon children "worked it" Saturday morning as they strutted, tossed their hair and were treated like celebrities during the kids' fashion show.

The children wore brand new clothes that were donated to the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon by local merchants. Each child was allowed to keep the outfit he or she modeled.

As she was waiting in line to get on stage before the show, Madison Hill, 9, of York, said she was excited for the event and thought it would be fun.

Standing in a line wrapped around the stage and into the South Annex of the Bryce Jordan Center, each model eagerly anticipated their turn to walk down the runway.

Angela Keslar, a former contestant on Project Runway and a 1995 Penn State graduate, co-hosted the event with Jennifer Troggart (junior-media studies), who also doubles as Miss Delaware American Coed 2006.

Kids strutted down a runway constructed by members of the OPPerations committee.

As committee members waited for each child's chance to be a star, they stood next to a large royal blue curtain and pulled it aside as the Thon kid models began their walks of fame.

Keslar, clad in a black top and brightly colored pattern pants she made herself for a trip to Paris, and Toggart, wearing her glittery crown and shiny white sash, each read out the models' names, ages and a fun fact about them.

Thon committee members, captains and overalls escorted the models.

As the reigning Miss Delaware American Coed, Toggart said she hosts fashion shows frequently.

"When I emcee, I keep the energy up," she said.

Asked if there was anything Keslar wanted to say to the dancers, she responded, "God bless you," and said she'd give them each a "great, big hug."

Keslar said she was overwhelmed by the way "a couple thousand people can come together with one goal."

Though Keslar said that she had a mental picture of Thon before she emceed, she admitted she didn't have "an emotional picture."

"It's such a fantastic celebration of life," she said. "I don't know what the word is. [Thon is] so massive and fueled by love."

Toggart agreed with Keslar.

"I'm so honored to be in the presence of the dancers," she said.

The Thon children's escorts had as much fun as the models themselves, walking down the runway and breezing through the curtains at the beginning of the catwalk.

Frank Kohler (senior-finance) said the experience was "awesome" after he escorted Thon child Dylan Moser down the runway during the show.

The entire time Dylan graced the stage, he vivaciously danced, drawing cheers from the crowd.

"Dylan was nonstop energy," Kohler said. "He could not wait to get out there. He even tried to bust out there early."