By KELLY YU, freshman

Greeted with splashes of neon colors in every corner of the room, students entered the cafeteria to attend National Honor Society and Key Club’s Neon Night dance held on March 14. Beams of light produced by the disco ball poked their way through the white fog that filled the air. Blaring music reverberated throughout the room and lured students to the dance floor. Four bouquets of green balloons floated in the center of the cafeteria. It was an event where students could “glow their night away” with colorful neon glow sticks and energetic spirits.

This year, the National Honor Society organized Neon Night to raise money for a non-profit organization called Buddy Ball of Edison. This organization helps kids with special needs participate in sports programs generally unavailable to them, such as soccer and bowling. “Knowing someone who is autistic, I understand how hard life is for kids with special needs because they are given very limited choices in this world. It touches my heart to see them learn how to play a sport and be part of a sports league in which they are treated as family,” said senior Harakh Shah, the Corresponding Secretary of the National Honor Society.

The event’s decorations contributed much to the event’s success. “We honestly could not have done this without the National Art Honor Society and their artistic talent. The teamwork of Key Club and National Honor Society made the preparations go smoother because everyone knew each other,” commented Key Club Recording Secretary Gurleen Kaur. The National Art Honor Society created a skyline with an outline of life-sized people dancing and made a backdrop with the words “Neon Nights” written in glow-in-the-dark paint.

Students and teachers alike transformed their free glow sticks into various accessories and danced with friends, producing streaks of neon colors in the darkness. Free drinks and desserts, such as brownies and cupcakes with neon-colored icing, were provided for anybody tired of dancing.

In the end, the genuine camaraderie among the students truly outshone the neon colors themselves. Junior Rita Wang said, “Neon Night was something I was pressured into going by my friend, but I’m so glad I did because we danced the night away!” The success of the dance helped raise more than $1000 to donate to Buddy Ball of Edison. It was a good night for a good cause.