The Morale Captain in Training Program unites the teenagers of Dance Marathon and trains them to be the event’s future.
By Kit Fitzgerald
The teenagers of Dance Marathon are taking huge steps into the future.
Dance Marathon teens or their siblings can become an MCT, or a Morale Captain in Training.
“We kind of get to do what morale captains do,” Morale Captain in Training Simeon Smith said. “I really like it.”
The program is made for kids 13 to18 years old, said Kenzie Kennedy, who is in charge of the Morale Captain in Training Program. Usually there are about 70 teens who participate.
“In general, Dance Marathon is for younger kids who are more a little more outgoing and active,” Kennedy said. “This is a really good way for teens to get to know each other, dancers, and Morale Captains.”
Dance Marathon wants all the families to feel valued and supported, and the teenage group can be hard to reach. This program is a positive way to keep [teens] connected to Dance Marathon, Kennedy said.
Morale Captain Assistant Erin Taber recognizes the value of this connection.
“[It’s] important to show that even as they’re getting older, we care about them so much and want them to be involved,” Taber said. “Just because you’re a teenager doesn’t mean what you went through or what your siblings went through is any less important.”
Taber gets to work with many MCTs. Part of the program includes MCTs learning parts of the Morale Captain’s dance. Three Morale Captain Assistants pair up to teach the dance to five to seven MCTs throughout the Big Event. At the end of the event, the teens get to join the Morale Captains on stage.
While this program is bringing teens together and giving them their “15 minutes of fame” dancing on the big stage, the focus remains on the future.
“We want to make their passion for Dance Marathon grow,” Kennedy said. “To create some people who are going to want to do things like this in the future.”
Smith plans on becoming a Morale Captain when he is old enough.
“Hopefully, if we do decide to be Morale Captains, we’ll be better ones because we learned it now,” he said. “Also we get pizza, so that’s nice.”
Smith, who is 15 years old, will be on the big stage with his fellow MCTs at 4 p.m. He said he is excited for the dance, but really enjoys the Big Event because it means he gets to spend time with his friends.
“When you’re with them you forget that they’ve gone through as much as they have because they act like normal teenagers,” Taber said. “It’s very humbling.”
