March 19, 2025—“It’s my day!” Aiden declared as he grooved to the music blasting at the Dance of the Year. 

Before he was even on the dance floor or making his way through the Minion-inspired halls of Kennesaw Mountain High School, Aiden’s smile bounced off the walls of the bus he boarded at McEachern High School. With smiles to match, his classmates got the dance started as their bus rolled toward Kennesaw Mountain. It’s an event Aiden, along with hundreds of other students across Cobb, cannot wait to attend each year.

For more than two decades, Kennesaw Mountain has hosted the annual dance for students with special needs, welcoming middle school and high school students from every corner of the county. The theme is different each year. This year, Aiden pulled up to the Minion Mash: A Gru-vy Dance. 

While Aiden and his friends from McEachern soaked up the limelight at the Dance of the Year, Kennesaw Mountain sophomore Michelle relished in the happiness on the faces of the special guests. 

“It feels like a light is shining on them when they come to the dance. It feels like all the energy is on them,” Michelle said. Seeing the smiles on all their faces is what keeps Michelle and her fellow student volunteers coming back every year. 

Like in years past, the 500+ special guests showed off their dance moves. Laughter and smiles teamed up with the “Gru-vy” music to create memories and excitement that will carry the students through to next year. 

Kennesaw Mountain seniors Tristin and Isabella say seeing students like Aiden beam with happiness makes all the hours of work they have volunteered worth it. 

"We put in almost four to five hours every day after school, working on decorations, fashion, logistics, and coordinating everything. It’s a huge commitment, but it’s worth every second,” declared Isabella. 

In the final days leading up to the dance, students like Tristin were at Kennesaw Mountain from before the sun rose until late into the afternoon, ensuring every Minion-like detail was just right. 

“We really light a fire under [us] to make sure it's perfect for all these kids,” Tristin shared. It takes a lot of dedication, but it’s worth it." 

The transformed dance space where Aiden danced the hours away required months of planning. Isabella pulled the curtain back on what that looked like for the high school volunteers. 

"We started planning all the way back in August. It’s been a consistent effort for months to bring this event together,” revealed the Kennesaw Mountain senior. “Every day after school, we had something called ‘build,’ where our student council would stay for hours, just building everything from scratch, planning the logistics, and making sure everything was perfect.” 

Even students who had participated in the past but had not been part of the planning process were surprised to learn what goes into pulling off an event like The Dance. 

"I was shocked at just the sheer size and commitment that we always put into this event,” shared Michelle. “I was only a mentor last year, but this is my first year planning. All the effort and, time and perfection that goes into this event just makes it all come together like a beautiful gift wrap up." 

Even after the last banner was hung and the rainbow of balloons safely nestled in the netting above the dance floor, the volunteers’ jobs were not nearly over. They slipped on Minion-inspired costumes, in some cases added paint to their hair, and prepared to welcome their special guests. The student volunteers then joined their special guests on the dance floor. 

For the student volunteers, The Dance serves as an example of why they love Kennesaw Mountain. 

"I really love the sense of community we have at our school and how involved we are in helping other people not only feel included but feel better about themselves,” Tristin explained. “I think that's something The Dance really helps with, and it makes me happy to have this opportunity." 

Sophomore Adriana agrees. "I think it really shows our community here at Cobb County. I think it shows us really working together and just being able to provide an event like this for the kids. It shows a lot of teamwork and the support that we are surrounded by,” added the first-year dance volunteer. 

The balloons are gone, the costumes are put away, and the gym no longer echoes the music, laughter, and sounds of hundreds of dancing Cobb students. But the memories of the Dance of the Year will live on in the hearts of the volunteers and their special guests.