Dance brings dads, daughters together

Smiling girls with shining hair and clad in fancy dresses danced with their fathers and friends at the first ever Father-Daughter Dance at the Julius A. Wendt Elementary Multipurpose Room on Saturday.

“It’s fun!” Kindergarten student Ruby Dallas said.

Army Staff Sergeant Dave Davis wore his dress blues at his daughter Makayla’s request. Her pride was obvious.

“I’ve always heard about other schools that have done this,” Davis said, “and I was excited when I heard they were going to do it here.”

“We’re having a blast, “said Allen Bennett and his granddaughter, Alliana, who is in Paul Johns’ third grade class.

“She’s been looking forward to it all week,” Bennett added. “Longer than that, really.”

The dance was the brainchild of this year’s freshman class, who are fundraising for their senior trip, according to Tessa Tietje, freshman.

“The girls are adorable,” said freshman Cheyenne Barton. “It’s a great way for them to bond with their dads.”

“We want to keep it going,“ added freshman Katie Johnson. “We’re thinking about inviting middle school girls next year.”

Tietje, Barton, Johnson, and other members of the freshman class, Amber Silva, Savannah Burdick and Peyton Souvenir worked hard behind the scenes to make the dance a successful event, putting up decorations, setting up tables, and providing food and music. Class advisors Cindy Fudge, Marc and Tiffany Niemeyer and parent Natalia Barton assisted. High School Principal Stephanie Leitz took pictures.

“It was an amazing community event,” Fudge said. “We’re hoping to make it a tradition.”