superdance

At Annual Superdance, O’Connell Students Fight for a Cure

By Gretchen R. Crowe
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 3/15/07)

ARLINGTON — The more than 1,000 students from Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington who spent 12 hours last Saturday at the school’s annual Superdance in order to raise money for a cure for cystic fibrosis fell just short of their $200,000 goal. The students had hoped to reach a 32-year total of $3 million donated to finding a cure for the disease that afflicts 30,000 Americans and killed O’Connell sophomore Brenda O’Donnell in 1975. O’Donnell’s brother, Sean, and sister, Maura, an O’Connell alumna, also succumbed to the disease.
Despite not meeting their lofty goal, students did raise pledges of more than $165,000, which will be collected throughout the rest of March.
Pledge totals were tallied throughout the day as students, at first tentative, began filling the school gym and moving to music from the Pat McGee Band — McGee is an O’Connell alumnus — as well as other local bands and a slew of disc jockeys.
White, black and red balloons hung draped from the ceiling as part of the James Bond theme “License to Cure.” The Superdance drew freshman through seniors, with teachers supervising and even, at times, participating.
Pods of students loosened up as the hours went along. Junior Nicholas Roberts even boogied despite a cast on his right foot, the result of breaking his ankle while sledding during the recent snow. He danced on, determined not to miss the “huge party” that raises money for the disease that already claimed the lives of O’Connell students.
“You’re coming back to fight for one of your own,” he said.
“It’s such a good atmosphere,” said sophomore Betty Olaya, 16, part of the school club Latin Rhythms. “It just keeps going on and you never want it to stop.” Latin Rhythms also performed during the event as one of many performances, games and activities that gave students an opportunity to take a break from standing dancing.
Freshman Katie Parker, 14, introduced friend Nikki Frush from Annandale High School to the O’Connell tradition.
“It’s a whole lot of fun cause it’s helping people with cystic fibrosis,” said Parker. Not to mention, she said, the live music and the fact that Pat McGee was autographing shirts. At a little after 1 p.m. the two were planning to stay through the last dance at midnight.
According to the cystic fibrosis Web site, www.cff.org, one out of every 31 Americans is a carrier for the genetic disease that restricts use of the lungs, digestive tract and pancreas through mucus build-ups. No cure for cystic fibrosis is available currently, but O’Connell students hope that, through their annual efforts, that will not always be the case.

Gretchen R. Crowe can be reached at gcrowe@catholicherald.com.