Posted: 5/4/05
By Aaron Vehling
To help raise money for scholarships for students, Doniver Ahlm had an idea: gather a bunch of North Branch district staff together to perform a variety show for the community.
The idea was met with some bewilderment, said Ahlm, a sixth grade math teacher at North Branch Middle School.
He said his peers at the North Branch Education Association wondered ěwho would want to be involved in this?î
That was 1992. That first performance was put together in two months and was standing-room only, Ahlm said. Because of popular demand another night was added.
Staff members from all over the district are coming together at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday night to put on the ěDetention Debutî at the high school auditorium. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at school offices.
The show will feature 14 acts and 75 staff members, including teachers, the superintendent, paraprofessionals, custodians and a few school board members. It showcased some popular recurring acts, including the band, I-35 Turnoffs, a choral group called the Human-Errors and ěYoung and the Senseless,î a parody of the daytime drama, ěYoung and the Restless.î
One new act this year is a skit based on the hit film, ěNapoleon Dynamite.î
ěThat should be a hit with the kids,î said show organizer Andrea Grote, a French teacher at the high school.
ěIt will be very entertaining,î she said. ěThereís a lot of talent and itís for a good cause.î
Ahlm got the idea for the show from neighboring school districts who used a similar method for fundraising, he said.
Proceeds from the event go toward scholarships for students looking to go to college or tech school. To date, the show has funded 101 scholarships at $500 each or $50,500, said Sue Howard, treasurer of the event. In 1992 the show raised enough for four scholarships. This year the NBEA plans to give away 13 scholarships (the scholarships are almost always in $500 increments).
Money comes from admissions, concessions and, for the last three years, a quilt raffle. Judy Sibik handcrafted quilts and donated them for the cause. Last year the NBEA raised enough money from quilt sales to fund a full $500 scholarship, Grote said.
Ahlm described the ěDebutî as a mix of comedy and musical acts and said that people always seem excited to see the recurring musical groups, such as the Human-Errors.
ěLast year we did Motown,î he said. ěThis year weíre doing John Denver. In the past weíve done the Beatles and Gershwin.î
Ahlm said that the show is a way for him to get to know staff members in other buildings, in addition to members of the community.
ěWe are getting so big that we may not even meet new teacher,î he said. ěItís a morale builder.î
For the staff members who donít want to be on stage, they can still be involved.
ěThey sell popcorn, take tickets and do backstage work,î Ahlm said.
He said the show is good for the kids, as well.
ěIf you want to see your sixth grade teacher make a fool out of himself,î he said, ěcome to the show.î
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