One would be Cody Lee, Great Bend High School business teacher and Future Business Leaders of America sponsor. A recently replaced knee and a pregnancy couldn’t stop her from accepting the challenge to participate in Thursday’s Dancing with the Staff competition. All it took was an invitation from senior Ryan Jacobs to sweep her off her feet.
Selected FBLA members are paired with teachers of their choosing, and together they select music and choreograph a dance. They’ll strut their stuff at 7 p.m. tonight at the high school auditorium. Tickets are $3 and can be purchased at the door.
“Teachers do it for a lot of reasons, but the main one is for the kids,” Lee said.
“Some kids are pretty good at ‘guilting’ teachers into participating,” Lee laughed. “Some of us just can’t say ‘no.’”
Of course, the event raises money for the March of Dimes, which is another good reason to participate, she said. Last year’s first-ever Dancing with the Staff raised more than $500 for the charity that is the national pet project of FBLA.
The other half of the money is used to help send students to national competition. This year, four have qualified for nationals in San Antonio, Texas. They include Kevin Smith, Donna Craven, Ryan Jacobs, all seniors; and Sarah Niederee, freshman.
Dancers this year include Lee and Jacobs, Andrea Maxwell and Josh Fredrick, Chris Battin and Danielle Herl, Barbi Harris and Danielle Suppes, Matt Mazouch and Kori Haberman and Zach Bartel and Hannah Wondra. Lee also gave a shout out Allan Clark, this year’s chairman; and RJ Seidel and Amber Kasselman, MCs.
“Maxwell, Battin and Harris enjoyed it enough last year to come back,” Lee said. “It’s a big commitment of their time. We appreciate those who are willing to dedicate their time to a wonderful cause. We couldn’t do it without them.”
“The students really enjoy watching their teachers dance, and it’s fun to see the teachers get involved and having fun, too,” she said. “All in all, it is for a great cause.
“I am always amazed at how our students step up and help make all our FBLA projects a success,” Lee added. “They really do most of the work. I just try to delegate and give them the confidence they need to make it a great event.”
Lee added that audience members should bring spare change and dollar bills to vote for their favorite performers. The winners will be based on judge’s scores and the overall money earned by each group of contestants.