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Schools

Middle School Students Participate in Dance Marathon

The Mill Creek fundraiser will benefit children's hospitals in Ann Arbor and Detroit.

Students attending the Mill Creek Middle School dance marathon tonight will literally be on their feet for three hours raising awareness for perdiatric therapy services at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor and Beaumont Hospital in Detroit.

In its sixth year, the fundraiser is put on by Mill Creek teacher Val Berryman's Community Service and Leadership class in conjunction with the University of Michigan's Dance Marathon committee.

Nearly 200 participants are signed up to participate in the event scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. at the school.

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"Mott saved my life," said eighth grade student Jonathan LeBlanc. "When I was born I needed emergency heart surgery. It's neat that students want to show their support."  

Students who attend the event have to raise at least $25 in pledges, Emily Kenworthy, a student on the dance committee said.

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"We put signs all over the school and we've been doing announcements all week," she said.

Berryman said students who attend the fundraiser receive a T-shirt designed by the leadership class and donated by .

Berryman said money raised at the dance marathon will pay for programs that health insurance doesn't cover such as taekwando lessons for kids who need help with their balance.  

Marianne Mutschler, leadership advisor, believes that the marathon is a great opportunity for students to help out others as well as learn about event planning.

"We encourage students to get creative in their fundraising efforts by collecting pop bottles, shoveling snow, babysitting and working around the house to earn donations," Mutschler said.  

Mutschler said the fundraiser has netted close to $5,000 every year.  

"I like helping people who have disabilities," eighth grade student Arman Fogouhi said.  

Eighth-grader and dance committee member Alex Fredrich spoke for many students saying, "Ultimately I think it's a great idea for us to stand up and dance for three hours for those people who can't."

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