Three months. A quarter of a year. Enough time to build a habit, pick up a new sport or start learning a language. At WCHS, the Student Government Association (SGA) spent that amount of time meticulously preparing for the annual Glow Dance. Together, the leadership class, class of 2027 and 2028 SGAs all worked together to put on the best event possible. The Glow Dance happened on Saturday, Feb. 7 and was a resounding success of loud music, low lighting and neon in every direction.
“Planning for Glow typically begins about two to three months in advance,” WCHS Class of 2028 President Ben Abergel said. “During that time, we use our SGA meetings to start throwing out ideas, discussing themes and forming a general vision of what we want the event to look like. As planning continues, those ideas become more concrete and we begin preparing the logistics needed to make the night successful.”
Finding balance between tradition and implementing new ideas is a challenge faced in every planning process, a sentiment which was especially true to the SGA when planning this year’s Glow. Among the returning traditions, the student band “Unleashed” reprised their performance role. The band had overwhelmingly positive reviews from last year’s Glow and many requests for their return. The blacklight theme also remained the same. As for changes, the dance was moved into the gym for a more immersive experience. Additionally, a new spirit initiative was piloted this year called Winter Week, built to create anticipation for the culminating event, the Glow Dance.
“In terms of traditions, Glow has seen a lot of change this year,” Abergel said. “[Ms. Emmalee Kenny’s] leadership gave us more of a blank slate which allowed SGA to rethink what we wanted Glow to feel like and how we could make it our own. This shift gave the event a fresh identity while still keeping the spirit of Glow alive.”
The Glow Dance is an undeniable fan favorite among the WCHS community. With over 300 tickets sold, the night was an absolute victory. Glow is a blast for many WCHS students, as proven by the energetic environment, a gym packed with jumping, dancing and singing participants.
“Students are able to express themselves through fun neon outfits,” WCHS social studies teacher Rachel Sonnenberg said. “They are able to come together with their peers during the winter time. Students love the unique neon/blacklight atmosphere as well.”
Despite how dazzling the Glow Dance’s final product was, the road was not all glamorous. With obstacles like budgeting and time constraints, the SGA had to thoroughly dedicate themselves to the process to achieve their goals.
“As the event takes a lot of prep, time was the biggest challenge,” Sonnenberg said. “With other extracurricular activities and with the snow days off, we had to find time wherever we could to prepare decor and to then set up the dance. The Class of 2027 SGA kept moving through weekly meetings where we created ‘to-do’ lists to ensure we were incrementally preparing for the dance.”
The Glow Dance was an incredible night, filled with self expression and smiles. As the music pounded, the students jumped and neon filled the room. The WCHS community grew closer and spirits were lifted, all thanks to the diligent planning of the SGA.
“SGA stays motivated because we understand how important the high school experience is,” Abergel said. “We do not want to take the easy or low-effort route, because events like Glow are part of what makes high school memorable. Our goal is to give every student the chance to experience that and feel included.”
