Winter dance set for special-needs students

By Harold Gwin

The evening of dining and dancing is for students only — parents aren’t invited.

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s an event that area special-needs students look forward to all year long.

The eighth annual Winterfest Dance, open to all special-needs students in high schools in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, is scheduled for Dec. 3 at the Mahoning Country Club, 710 Liberty St. East S.E. in Girard.

The evening of music, fun and excitement was launched by teachers at the former Rayen School for children with multiple, orthopedic and/or developmental disabilities. Rayen is gone now, and students in the city schools’ special-needs program now attend East High School. East’s special-education units now sponsor the event that draws more than 200 participants.

All area high schools have been sent fliers advertising the dance and asking them to handle ticket sales and RSVP sheets for their students.

The dinner is catered and responses are required by Nov. 25.

The policy of “no parents allowed” during the dance continues so that the students can enjoy an evening of fun and socialization with their peers from other school districts. The evening will be chaperoned by school staff, administration, security and student helpers.

Parents are invited to drop off their children between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Dinner will be served from 5 to 6 p.m. and dancing is from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

A highlight of the evening will be the crowning of the traditional Snow Princess and Snow Prince, with the royalty and court to be selected in a random drawing from each school’s tickets. The cost is $7 per person.

Dress is semiformal and students shouldn’t wear sweatpants, jeans, shorts, school uniforms or tennis shoes.

A professional photographer and a videographer will take pictures, and Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as their elves, will visit.

For more information, contact Jeanne Constantino at East High School at (330) 740-4005, Ext. 4134, or by e-mail at youn_jmc@access-K12.org.

gwin@vindy.com