Special needs teens are invited to bring their dancing shoes to the second annual Spring Dance for Special Kids.
The free dance will take place from 7-9 p.m. April 12 at the Singleton Community Center, 7266 Third Road. The dance, for teens 12 years and older, features a professional D.J., free food and drinks, and several contests.
“There’s not a whole lot of recreational activities for special needs kids in Bartlett, so I decided to tackle this last year for the first time,” said Shan Criswell, facility manager for the community center. “About 100 kids showed up and they had a ball. There were a lot of smiles.”
Criswell, also president of the Mayor’s Youth Council, said she enlisted council teens to chaperone small groups of dancers last year. She said the experience gave council teens the chance to interact and give back to the community.
Parents are allowed to stay during the event, said Criswell, but most didn’t last year. She said this year’s expected attendees picked pepperoni pizza, cheese puffs and water for their snacks. They will be entertained by a professional D.J. with Memphis4Music.
Criswell said she became involved with special needs teens through the community center’s summer day camp, and she developed a special love for them. Criswell said she would like to see more fun programs developed for that population.
For more information about the dance, call 901-385-5593.
