At the beginning of the 2025 school year, Student Body President Haedynn Maldonado stood up in front of the Associated Student Body class and announced that she needed to recruit a number of students to perform a flash mob at the annual Building A Scholastic Heritage (BASH) fundraiser. As a fundraiser reserved for parents, staff, and alumni, she decided it was time for some student involvement. She recruited about 20 students, myself included, and we learned 2 different dances- one from the classic film ‘Footloose,’ and one to the tune of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now.
After multiple hours of practice, we were ready to perform at BASH. We kicked off the event with our Don’t Stop Me Now dance, and drug attendees onto the dance floor after Footloose. The whole night and our dedication to performing these dances as best as we could was a strong show of our Manogue loyalty- which was a general consensus among attendees. For most, the dances were a highlight of the event. As the night wound down, the group shared a sentiment of how sad we all were that this experience was over. We just decided that we weren’t content with this being the end of the ‘BASH group.’
We have since coordinated multiple events together, including dinner with Brother Hall, Pizookies, the Trampoline Park, and karaoke. This whole experience has been one of the highlights of my experience at Manogue thus far. I was trepidatious, to say the least, going into it. Dancing in front of strangers, dancing with people I’ve never really spent time with, and coordinating a flash mob seemed intimidating. Instead of regretting going outside of my comfort zone, I made some amazing friends that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
If anyone has the opportunity to step outside of their friend group for a bit and connect with some new people, I couldn’t recommend it enough. Connecting with people outside of your sphere is an invaluable asset, and getting involved is the way to do it. There is truly a place within Manogue for every single student- without judgement. Go to the games, play a game during Spirit Week, join a flash mob (if the opportunity somehow strikes again.) Most importantly, don’t let fear of embarrassment hold you back. Enjoy being a Miner!
Being volun-told into doing a flash mob at a parent event has plopped me into a group of friends that we can be silly and try new things without judgement. We helped raise $320,000 for tuition assistance and realized that Tuesday night Karaoke is really, really fun. You truly never know what will become the highlight of your time at Manogue. Enjoy it all, embrace the Miner spirit!
