The committee made shirts for students that say For the Kids, FTK.
On March 16th, students and staff and students gathered in the auxiliary gym to dance and have a great time for their annual Riley’s Dance Marathon. It went on for five hours. They enjoyed various activities, including dodge ball, Mario Kart, Riley stories, food, and dancing. Concessions were included as well. They got to listen to families share stories, win prizes in various games, learned different dances, and have tournaments.It was free to enter, however a $10 donation was appreciated. The organization aimed for their highest goal in history this year, a goal of $15,000 for Riley Children’s Hospital. They ended up reaching $17,497, surpassing their goal.
A student enjoys a game of dodgeball at the dance.
In preparation for this event, the High School offered the common spirit week activities. These are dress up days where the students follow the theme given in order to raise the points for their class, either class of 2018, 2019, 2020, or 2021. The dress up days Jasper decided to use this week were, on Monday, America, Tuesday was sports, Thursday was meme day, and Friday was neon day. Many students walked the halls bearing the theme of the evening in promotion of the dance.
The Riley Dance Marathon is held to raise money for the children at Riley’s hospital. They held it in 1991 for an AIDS advocate, Ryan White. The amount they raise increases each year, which benefits the children seeking treatment greatly. This years dance was a huge success. Many people in the community utilize the Riley Children’s Hospital services, making the dance a huge deal that everyone can’t help but to appreciate. Children and families share stories about their lives, making huge heartfelt moments.
Jasper High School students of all grades worked together to make this happen. Fundraisers that were held include puppy chow sales, basketball game collections, a shirt sale, and various others. This wasn’t just a school dance, it was a dance marathon to help children and families in the community and raise money for the Riley Hospital.
