Darling daughters and dashing dads are welcome to join the Sweethearts on Friday, Feb. 10 for the first annual Sweetheart Ball. 

In the spirit of fostering better relationships, the drill team has plans to bring a daddy-daughter dance to Willis High School. Proceeds from the event will go to the dance program, helping to offset some of the costs of their upcoming competitions. 

Some see daddy-daughter dances as opportunities to teach young girls how they should be treated while offering an opportunity for bonding. 

“I just think it would be a good way for her to bond with her dad, have fun dressing up, and teach her how she should be treated by her significant other in the future,” PEIMS clerk Kim Barker said.  “I just feel like when a girl has a strong father figure in her life it helps her be more confident in herself and feel loved so that she isn’t seeking out that love in the wrong places.” 

Many young girls dream to be like the princesses they see on tv. This night is the perfect opportunity for them to realize those fantasies. 

“There’s not many opportunities for us to have daddy-daughter dances,” senior Emily Fails said. “This is going to be a great chance for girls in the community and even outside the community to have a daddy-daughter dance like they’ve seen in the movies.” 

This fundraiser is one of many community-centered events that the Sweethearts have hosted and one that they’re trying to make into an annual tradition. This event is meant to break away from the dance world and let the world see more of who the Sweethearts really are. 

“We would like to see how this first year turns out and receive feedback from the attendees as to  what we can make better as we’re already brainstorming some things for next year,” Sweetheart director Kaylee Trotter said. “Compared to our fundraisers of the past, such as our dance clinic in the fall,  this is a bit more intimate. It’s bringing in those dancers but also their parents and getting to interact with our organization in a different way outside of just our dancing world but who we are as an organization.”