When we launched the Keep It! Campaign, one of the core ideas was that our success or failure would be directly related to how well we were able to harness the “Power of Ten”. The key to this strategy was the idea of multiplication. Raising funds is certainly critical, but it’s even more important to “Keep It Going!” by connecting others to the cause. As we have moved forward, a number of key individuals have helped us to unlock the “Power of Ten”. Their stories are as diverse as they are inspiring. Each has connected a wide range of people to the project, raised significant funds to support the cause, and brought their own personal talents and interests to the project. Through a new feature entitled “Keep It! Going”, we will salute these champions by sharing their stories and recognizing their contribution with a simple keychain created by the children of Ivory Park.
Troy Davis is enthusiastic about current pursuits, future goals, and new opportunities. In short, Troy Davis is enthusiastic about life. As a PASC executive board member and a student council representative at Ford City High School (Ford City, PA), Davis approaches his service-related responsibilities with a high energy attitude and the motivation to succeed. Recently, this contagious spirit took root at Ford City High School where Davis and his peers engaged in a dynamic dance-a-thon that raised over $1,200 for the Keep It! Campaign.
Davis first learned about Keep It! and the Campaign for Ivory Park at a PASC presentation. “I was personally affected by the before and after pictures of conditions in South Africa. Actually seeing what we as a team were able to build was inspirational,” he notes. “After the presentation, I talked to Kathy Coll to learn more about the project and to understand it better.”
Davis returned to Ford City excited to present the Ivory Park story to his peers. Because his high school already participates in a dodgeball tournament for another important cause (dodgeball is a current PASC initiative to support Ivory Park), the student council team brainstormed about other possible fundraising opportunities. Ultimately, they decided to host a dance-a-thon that would be planned by Davis and fellow student council member Tori Hendrickson.
At Ford City High School (Ford City, PA), more than 150 student dancers participated in a dance-a-thon to benefit Ivory Park.
Davis and Hendrickson, with the support of student council adviser Cathy Rudosky, documented the rules for the dance-a-thon and began recruiting dance teams as well as student and adult volunteers to oversee the event. They also enlisted the help of the community in collecting snack donations and prizes. Teams contributed a $30 sign-up fee and also solicited donations from sponsors. In the end, more than 150 student dancers took to the floor in a six hour dancing extravaganza that raised $1,250 for Ivory Park.
Dance-a-thon Judges
Keep It! founder Bob Tryanski notes that Davis’ energy has been a force in promoting Keep It! dodgeball tournaments through PASC. He was pleased that Davis was able to build support for Ivory Park even though Ford City was promoting a dodgeball tournament for an alternative project. “One of the true marks of a leader is the ability to champion an idea,” says Tryanksi. “Troy’s energy and enthusiasm are perfect examples of what it takes to get people on board. At Ford City, students had already made significant commitments to another important cause through a dodgeball tournament. Troy said, ‘That’s fine. . .so what else can we do?’ Working with Tori and Cathy, he built a team to Keep It Going. You can’t do anything significant without this type of leadership.”
Davis explains that the leadership lessons gained through service work have been invaluable. “Student council has given me a completely different perspective and a new appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes,” he says. “Before, I used to enjoy just attending events. Now, I understand what goes into creating the finished product. It’s so important to say ‘thank you’ to volunteers, parents, teachers, and students who give their own time to help your event be a success. In this case, I especially want to thank Tori Hendrickson and Cathy Rudosky for helping the idea of the dance-a-thon to grow.”
Troy Davis (left) enjoys working with other student leaders.
Along with his student council responsibilities, Davis also enjoys volleyball, drama, and musical theater. He recently participated in his school’s production of Singing in the Rain. In the long run, Davis hopes to attend medical school and thinks that the lessons learned through his participation in student council will be transferrable to his future career.
The Keep It! Campaign is proud to honor Troy Davis, a campaign champion with the energy and enthusiasm to “Keep It Going!”