Students dance, community donates to benefit teacher

Students can dance the night away Saturday, Sept. 23 while earning donations to benefit Canyon High School teacher and coach Debbie Crenshaw, who is undergoing cancer treatment.

Hosted at the Cole Community Center, the dance will last from 7-11 p.m. Students will pay a $5 admission fee and dance to earn additional donations from community members and businesses. The donations will go to the Crenshaw fund at Happy State Bank.

While not a school function, high school teachers will be chaperoning the dance, and others have donated snacks, money and time. West Texas A&M University student and volunteer Dadrian Smith will DJ the event and serve as master of ceremonies.

“I got involved by talking to the organizers who understand I help with dances at the WT Wesley Foundation,” said Smith, who has studied both dance and psychology at WT.

Students can participate in activities, games, contests and dance lessons.

“There are going to be two Amarillo College instructors who will show the students a particular dance, and then the students will come out and dance that song,” Spanish teacher Rubi Perez said. “Businesses will have donated a particular amount for that song, so whatever the song may be, the students will dance through.”

The cost of renting the Cole Community Center was donated by community members, so all proceeds from snack sales and admission fees will go directly to the Crenshaw fund.

“I am attending mainly to support her and her family in this time of need,” junior Bryce Evans, a former student of Crenshaw’s, said. “Just $5 can help a lot.”