Fifth Graders Dance the Night Away

Fifth graders from around town gathered at the Westfield YMCA Bauer Family Center on East Broad Street Friday night for the town's first ever dance for students in the grade. The event was designed to raise money for the charity, Furniture Assist, and to promote a new social networking site for tweens, ItsMyLocker.com.

Jill Brown, the founder of ItsMyLocker.com and co-founder of Furniture Assist, said the dance was designed as a way to promote a sense of community amongst the fifth graders who will start coming together at the town's intermediate schools next year. Students attending the dance were asked to donate to Furniture Assist, a local charity which collects furniture for needy families.

"Tonight is to have fun and to bring all of the kids together," Brown said. "We are building community in a safe parental controlled environment. We are giving prizes and raising money."

The Bauer Center's upstairs gym was darkened as the students danced to pop favorites, including Soulja Boy and Bon Jovi. Parents sold various snacks and Rita's provided free Italian ice for the fifth graders. The students ran frequently between the dance and the break room as they caught up with friends and enjoyed the evening.

Students entered a raffle to win assorted prizes to various downtown businesses. Brown also featured a brief presentation of ItsMyLocker.com, a new social networking site which will be debuting later this month. As a part of Brown's presentation, she asked the students to shout "Let's go Westfield" in unison after having one student shout the slogan out solo.

The dance received a strong show of support from the Westfield Police Department, with Chief John Parizeau and several officers helping to chaperone in plain clothes. Over a dozen parents assisted with the evening, including chaperoning and serving snacks.

"I think anything that teaches kids how to give back to charity is a good thing," Michelle Haar, a Tamaques Elementary School parent, said.