Students danced the night away for both a workout and to support a great cause.
Reach Out, an honors student organization, held a Zumba night Friday in the Ceddia Union Building (CUB) Multipurpose Room to raise money for its efforts to travel to the Dominican Republic. This is the first Zumba night in two years the group has hosted. Gretchen Pierce, faculty adviser for the group, instructed the class for those in attendance.
“We weren’t sure how many people would come because of the weather but it’s great,” she said.
Attendees danced to the numerous songs choreographed for the evening while working out. Both men and women came out to the event and enjoyed their time.
“It was a blast! I can’t wait for next year,” human communications major Kelsie Paxton said.
The group fundraises through the year to help build a new school in the Dominican Republic as well as send school supplies.
“When we go, we present education manuals in professional development workshops and work together with the teachers to teach what we brought down,” explained Tori Walls, group member and mid-level education major.
The rewarding experience drives the efforts of the group to continue to travel and help the kids who do not have the same resources as students in the United States.
“It doesn’t seem like you do a lot because you can always do more, but it is great to see the impact a group of people can have,” Amanda Schwarz, another member and a mid-level education major, said.
“Attendance and behavior is getting better and the kids remember you year to year. We are actively changing lives,” Walls said.
The group meets Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in Dauphin Humanities Center, Room 206. All majors and minors are welcome. Applications are also still being accepted for the trip to the Dominican Republic in January.
Visit ship.edu/honors/reach_out.
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