Hollywood has nothing on Kansas City. Across the metro area, a select group of community leaders are lacing up their dancing shoes for the students of Cristo Rey Kansas City.
This elite eight will take to the stage on Saturday, March 28, at the Sheraton Hotel at Crown Center, for an all-star dance competition to raise funds and friends for Cristo Rey. From famous namesakes to powerhouse careers, overcoming personal obstacles to inspiring aspirations, this year’s team roster has it all.
- Dr. Dan ‘Elvis’ Gurley – College Park Specialty Center
- Michael Jackson – Pendello Solutions
- Tom Jones – Davis, Bethune & Jones
- Dr. Sarah Kucera – Sage Center for Yoga and Healing Arts
- Lindsey Roy – Hallmark Cards, Inc.
- Greg Schoofs – Enterprise Bank & Trust
- The Honorable Stephanie Taormina – Municipal Court of the City of Blue Springs
- Deana Werkowitch – Crestwood Midstream Partners, LP
By stepping out of their comfort zones, they will open doors to college prep education for students from under-served communities.
Why? Because only students with economic need can attend Cristo Rey. Highly motivated students are proud to attend a school where 100% of graduates are accepted to college and, 60% persist to college graduation. Each student works one day a week to offset approximately half of the cost of education. To fund the gap between what a student earns at a work study internship and the cost of education, Cristo Rey sponsors Dancing with the Kansas City Stars. The evening culminates in a people’s choice winner, determined by the total number of $10 votes.
David Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Maxus Properties, is serving as Honorary Chair. Johnson invited two alumnae – Justina and Julisha Wilkins - to help him lead the charge and build community support. Johnson met Justina Wilkins, when Cristo Rey assigned her to work at Maxus Properties while she was still in high school. Today, the Wilkins sisters are students at the University of Missouri – Columbia.
“To witness the time and effort that our stars and event leaders are putting in to this event is truly humbling,” said John O’Connor, President of Cristo Rey Kansas City. “To each and every student at Cristo Rey, this amazing show of support encourages them to go the distance.”
For more information and to read about our 2020 Dancing with the Kansas City Stars, visit the event website.
About Cristo Rey Kansas City High School
Cristo Rey Kansas City is part of the Cristo Rey Network of 37 high schools across the nation dedicated to transforming urban communities by combining college-prep education with work experience. The model of education equips students to see past their urban roots toward college and beyond.