Saucon Valley’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) hosted their First Annual Saucon Valley Harlem Wizards Game and Basket Raffle April 1. Team Spark, comprised of teachers, aides, coaches and other school personnel, took on the Harlem Wizards in front of a packed house in the Saucon Valley High School gym.
The SVHS gym stands were packed for the game.
Team Spark was led by Saucon Valley Elementary Associate Principal Jim Deegan, and included Julie Bechtold, Matt Bernd, Kelly Boushell, Dan Burkholder, Kelly Calabrese, Stephanie Hand, Paige Histand, Brandon Holub (a high school senior), Marty Lewis, Todd Lipp, Kellie King, Thad Moyer, Stevie Ochse, Sarah Roncolato, Phil Russell, Mike Sakelarides, Phil Sams, Josh Snead (a high school senior) and Kelly Zawodny.
The Sparkettes, also comprised of teachers and school personnel, cheered Team Spark on. They included Lisa Benza, Holli Conrad, Tami Coughlan, Jen Davison, Amanda Gercie, Stephanie Hamman, Becky Harvey, Deb Lacey, Junie Laurore, Beth Ravier, Lauren Souilliard, Lindsay Steiner and Valencia Chan.
Team Spark and the Sparkettes being introduced to the crowd.
The Wizards in charge of entertainment at the game were Showtime, Space Jam, Broadway, A-Train, Lunatic and Livewire.
The Harlem Wizards
Referees were Saucon Valley Middle School Vice Principal Thomas Halcisak and school staff member Dwight Thompson.
PTO President Lynn Beller with a Wizard
The idea for the fun-filled fundraiser was the brainchild of Saucon Valley PTO President Lynn Beller–stepmom of third-grader Kacee, fifth-grader Karter and ninth-grader Kylie–after the Beller family saw the Wizards at Dieruff High School last year.
Beller and Kylie thought the team’s antics would be perfect for an event to engage and entertain the entire family, while raising much-needed funds for the elementary school. Along with PTO Co-President Sue Meier, Beller started the planning this past summer. Meier said that Beller pretty much ate, slept (or didn’t sleep) and breathed the Wizards since the planning started.
Saucon Valley PTO Co-Presidents Lynn Beller and Sue Meier
The Wizards did an assembly at the school for K-4th grade students and gave the kids a taste of what they would see at the event. A Wizard also visited the middle school during lunches to meet the kids, do tricks and promote the fundraiser.
The people only expecting to come and see a basketball game were very surprised.
The event, which included basket raffles, a 50/50 and a grand prize raffle, was part sporting event, part community event, part variety show. Put that all together and it equaled a fun way for the entire family to spend the afternoon.
Generating excitement among the crowd.
The MC, along with the music and the encouragement of the Wizards, kept the energy high among the audience. People in the stands were clapping, cheering their teachers on and singing along with the music the entire time. It was an incredibly festive atmosphere.
Slam dunk!
In between tricks and actually shooting hoops, the Wizards would engage the audience. Several kids were picked from the stands to join them on the court to try to win Wizards merchandise.
Trying to win Wizards merchandise.
The Wizards entertained the audience with their skill as well as acting ability. They would take time out in between “the game” to entertain attendees with their dance moves. The audience loved it when they danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The Wizards delighted and entertained the entire audience as they hung on the basketball rim, did some fancy basketball moves and even showed off some of their tumbling skills.
Wizards dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Just hanging out.
During halftime, the Sparkettes showed off their cheerleading skills. Afterwards the kids lined up to get Wizard autographs.
The Sparkettes showed off their moves.
Wizards signed autographs during halftime.
Even the opposing team was impressed with the Wizards’ skills.
Third-grader Michael Magnotta was pulled out of the stands and onto the court for a “cool test.” His reward was a Wizards shirt.
Third-grader Michael Magnotta
At one point the Wizards seemed to need some help with their game, so they pulled fifth-grader Elizabeth Miller from the stands to join their team. Miller said, “I was scared when they picked me, but it was easier when I got on the court. It was really fun.” Miller added six points for the Wizards.
When the game was over the Wizards had won 92-84 (but nobody paid attention to the score), and all the kids were called down to the court. Streamers fell from the ceiling and confetti cannons went off as the Wizards led them in the “whip and nae nae” and “the dab.”
Confetti and streamers signal the end of the event.
Heather Rudolph, mother of seventh-grader Emma and fourth-grader Gunnar, thought it was a great event, stating, “This was the best fundraiser the elementary has ever had.”
There were so many people who put time and effort into pulling the large event off.
A big thank you belongs to the PTO board and the others who made the event possible: Lynn Beller, Sue Meier, Jennifer Brasko, Tamara Humphries, Amanda Bokan, Jodi Albanese, Kathleen Dettmar, Tanya Scherer, Greta Torres, Jennifer Chaffier, Teresa Romano and Stacy Werkheiser.
The school and the community are already looking forward to next year’s Wizards event!
