This year is the 1st time in decades that the school will host a winter dance. However, it might also be the last winter dance, due to the district’s shift to a new school-year schedule in 2019-2020.

Scheduled on December 14, the dance was created by the Leadership class to boost morale before finals by offering students a good time, according to Leadership supervisor Lindsay Webb-Peploe.

“Students like coming [to dances], so we’re always looking for ways to add more,” said Webb-Peploe.

Another 1st for the school, the dance is a “black light blizzard”. ASB Commissioner of Social Affairs junior Meg Balfrey explained, “It makes it so you glow in the dark, so it’s just kind of a different effect than usual dances.”

Leadership will also use the dance as a fundraiser in conjunction with the canned food drive. According to Balfrey, all of the proceeds from the dance are going to the Contra Costa Food Bank, “which supports a lot of people in this county who have to go there for food.”

Webb-Peploe claims that the reason there hasn’t been a winter dance in a while is due to a shortage of time. “This period of time between Thanksgiving and the winter break goes really fast. Last year we only had 3 weeks, and this year we have 4 weeks, so we have a little more space to run the canned food drive, finish our coat drive, and get the dance done,” she said.

Balfrey added, “It’s different and it might not be able to happen again because of the movement of finals for next year, so it may be the only year we can do it around this time.”  In 2019-2020 the district will transition to a new school-year schedule that will complete the 1st semester, including final exams, prior to winter break.

“I think it will be interesting, but the fact that next year [administration is] moving finals to before winter break is gonna be way better for all the kids who now have to ruin their winter break to study, so even though they’re moving the dance, I think it will have a beneficial impact,” said freshman Ali Montee.

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