Boys & Girls Club to Show P.R.I.D.E. at Annual Talent Show
LAWRENCE, Kan. – No obvious rhyme or reason links the musical relationship between Prince and Run DMC or Rihanna and Billy Idol, but all will be featured when the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence hosts the 2018 Lights On Talent Show at Lawrence Memorial Central Middle School, Friday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend the free event.
The annual talent show’s theme is “P.R.I.D.E. + ME,” inspired by BGCLK’s values that go by the acronym PRIDE +1. Each letter stands for an important value honored by all part-time and full-time staff as well as board members at the Club. ‘P’ is positive role models. ‘R’ is respect. ‘I’ is integrity. ‘D’ is diversity. ‘E’ is empathy. The +1 stands for each individual’s personal value that they bring to their own roles at the Club – their “why.” All 15 Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence locations will dance to a musician who’s name starts with one of the letters: P… R… I… D… E.
This year’s show will leave attendees singing and dancing all night. One debonair dance team from each Club site will hit the LMCMS auditorium stage to showcase their moves. Other performances will feature music by Iggy Izaela, Pentatonix, Imagine Dragons and many more.
Each Club site recruits 15 kids (maximum) for their dance team and a dedicated staff member or volunteer creates a three-minute (maximum) routine. The panel of judges never has an easy path before them with all 15 sites competing for the coveted Lights On trophy, including the teen team from the Center for Great Futures.
Judges are tasked with scoring the dances in categories such as degree of difficulty, creativity and effort. Fortunately, this group will be up to the task. The 2018 Lights On judges are: Jenni Waters (Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader), Amy Kelly (Theatre Lawrence), Neal Barbour (Lawrence Arts Center), Hannan Misko (Lawrence Arts Center), Derek Kwan (KU Lied Center), Audrey Philips (Rock Chalk Dancer), Jordyn Manhart (Rock Chalk Dancer) and Brandon Hutton (Kansas Enrichment Network).
Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide annual event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The national celebration of Lights On Afterschool Day (Oct. 25) is a tribute to the organizations across the country that keep their “lights on” after school hours. Approximately 8,000 afterschool programs are expected to participate in the 19th annual Lights On Afterschool, holding rallies, science fairs, student performances, community service events, sports competitions and – in Lawrence’s case – a talent show.
The Afterschool Alliance organizes Lights On Afterschool to draw attention to the many ways afterschool programs support students by offering them opportunities to learn new things—such as science, community service, robotics, theater and the experience of traveling sporting events. The events send a powerful message that millions more kids need quality afterschool programs. As a partner of the alliance and the largest afterschool program in Lawrence, the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence works every day to help fill that need.