Winterfest Dance tradition continues
The evening is a fun-filled event for students only.
Parents aren’t invited.
YOUNGSTOWN — The Rayen School may be gone, but the annual Winterfest Dance for special-needs students started by teachers at the school lives on.
The seventh annual event, open to all special needs students in high schools in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, will be from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Mahoning Country Club, 710 Liberty St. East S.E., Girard.
The dance has drawn more than 200 participants in the past.
Students from The Rayen School attend the new East High School and this year’s dance is sponsored by the East High School special-education units.
The goal is to provide high school students with multiple, orthopedic and/or developmental disabilities with an evening of fun and socialization with their peers from other communities. The dance will be chaperoned by East High School staff and administration as well as security and student helpers.
Parents are asked to drop off their children between 4:30 and 5 p.m. but won’t be permitted to stay for the dance. Dress is semiformal and students shouldn’t wear sweat pants, sweat shirts, jeans, shorts, school uniforms or tennis shoes.
Tickets are $7 each and reservations must be made by Nov. 28. Letters of invitation have been sent to all high schools in the tri-county area.
Dinner will be served from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by dancing and crowning of a Snow Prince and Princess. The names for the Winterfest Dance Court will be randomly drawn from each school’s ticket box and the Snow Princess and Prince will be randomly selected from among the members of the court.
A professional photographer and videographer will be there to take pictures and Santa and his elves, as well as Mrs. Claus, will visit the event.
For more information, contact Jeanne Constantino at East High School at (330) 740-4005, ext. 4134, or by fax at (330) 742-6464 or e-mail at youn_jmc@access-k-12.org.