Night To Shine is a special night like prom for local 14-21 year old individuals with special needs. Night To Shine is sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation™. All across the country different churches and schools host dances where students and young adults can party like it’s their prom night. They enjoyed a red carpet, the royal treatment and time to dance the night away. The dance was on Feb. 7 from 6-9 p.m. In Albert Lea, the dance was hosted by the First Lutheran Church.

As guests from all over Freeborn County anxiously and excitedly waited, the members of Albert Lea High School’s National Honor Society were hard at work planning. Senior Esperanza Johnson was a lead member of the planning committee. 

“I thought it was fun to do last year,” said Johnson. “So putting it all together makes me feel like I’m helping a bigger cause.” 

All of the student volunteers have fun while making sure the guests have fun as well.

National Honor Society students help decorate the space a few days before the event to look like a winter wonderland and was far more spectacular than a church basement. 

Students gathered before the dance to help the female guests do their hair and makeup to make them feel as welcome as possible before a night of fun. The male students and guests gathered before the dance in the “boys’ room” where they chatted and played the piano for preparation of the dance. 

At the beginning of the dance guests were escorted in by National Honor Society students. Their names were called and they walked down the red carpet as parents and students applauded. Throughout the night the guest danced and ate food. Every guest was honored in the crowning ceremony to make it everyone’s night to shine. 

Students busted out moves on the dance floor and some did spins in wheelchairs. As the glow sticks broke out so did even more smiles and cheers from the crowd.