PTMS DANCE-A-THON: Making Memories and Making a Difference
eters Township
PETERS TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
PTMS DANCE-A-THON: Making Memories and Making a Difference
On a frigid Friday night in January, the Peters Township Middle School gymnasium was filled with silly teenagers, dressed in crazy outfits, dancing to loud music … and changing people’ s lives. January 30th marked the sixth Middle School Dance-a-Thon and more than 250 student dancers were on their feet for six hours- all to support the Children’ s Home of Pittsburgh.
Their goal was to raise $ 26,000, a number chosen simply to reflect the year the event was taking place. In charge of organizing, inspiring and helping the students to reach that goal were Middle School teachers- and Thon veterans- Stephanie Van Balen and Melissa Giaquinto.
Plans for Thon began on the very first day the staff returned to school in the fall.
“ An event this huge doesn’ t happen without everyone,” said Giaquinto.“ From principals to custodians, everyone is chairing a committee, helping pack the dancer bags, cheering our kids on all the way – this is a whole school effort.”
Students were introduced to Thon in homerooms early in September with reminders of their past success and a glimpse of the fun being had all along the way. From 2013-2023, five dancea-thons have raised more than $ 145,000 for organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, The Caring Place and the UPMC Children’ s Hospital Foundation. The event is so large that it is now scheduled to occur once every three years so that each student has the opportunity to experience it once during their time as a student at the Middle School.
74 PETERS TOWNSHIP
PETERS TOWNSHIP
SCHOOL DISTRICT
“ Each event is our chance to reach a new group of kids and help them understand how they can impact the lives of others in a positive way,” added Van Balen.
Staff members selected The Children’ s Home of Pittsburgh as this year’ s partner, to support their variety of services and programs including adoption services, daycare for medically fragile children, as well as counseling and therapy services for children.
Selecting a charity focused on the needs of children is deliberate to help the teens better understand the organization, as registered dancers were tasked with reaching out to family, friends and neighbors to gather donations for the charity.
In addition to these pledges, the staff also helps to organize fundraisers leading up to the big event. Favorites this year included a scavenger hunt and bonfire in October, a breakfast café around the holidays and trivia events during study lab. Each dancer also pays a $ 35 registration fee. Middle School parents and the PTA support the event with food donations and lots of manpower to make it all come together.
After months of planning and fundraising the actual event comes with flurry of activity- students dancing to theme dances, playing games, eating snacks, stopping by the photo booth – all with the anticipation of what the final total will be.
As the night ends, the students can finally take a seat and the big reveal begins. One. Number. At. A. Time.
“ There is nothing like the feeling of building up to that very last number,” said Van Balen, who leaves the money counting to other team members.“ We’ re just a surprised as they are – it’ s a great feeling.”
So what was that total? Did they meet their goal? They met it, beat it, and kept on going to a total donation of $ 41,311.27.
“ Watching the pride on everyone’ s face at the end it such an amazing moment,” said Principal Adam Sikorski.“ After all their hard work, students and staff alike can see what their hard work has done and know that they have made a difference.”