Crusaders' talents pay off for school

Event gives new student center financial boost

SM/VIEW--Broc Powell a student from Faith Lutheran School performs for a charity event for tips Saturday Apr. 23, 2005. View photo Henry Vargas.

Faith Lutheran Junior/Senior High School used a nontraditional way to raise money last month. The school held a dinner and talent show with a twist on April 23.

While feasting on barbecued meat and pasta salad, diners were entertained by students who acted as waiters. The students dressed in costumes and were required to perform in some way to earn better tips.

The event raised more than $10,000, with proceeds benefiting the new addition to the school's campus, the George and Mae Kalb Student Center.

Sammy Engel, 14, dressed as a mermaid, a leftover Halloween costume. She sang to her assigned table and hopped around on one foot.

"I didn't mind bringing the plates but the drinks were a hassle," she said. "We had no trays."

Diners also were entertained with card tricks, guitar playing, juggling, joke telling, hula hoop dancing and snapping fingers 26 times while reciting the alphabet backwards. One of the girls got up on stage and sang "The Star Spangled Banner" a cappella.

"We had a great committee who came up with all this," said Brenda Bogue, the school's development officer. "Melissa Brown and Sandy Boyadjian, it was all their idea."

The tips the students amassed, which totaled $1,600, were donated to the school.

The top two tip earning waiters, Ashley Kloehn and Nick Brown, were awarded gift certificate prizes for their efforts. Kloehn was dressed as a 1980s girl and earned just over $506 in tips. Brown waited tables as Shaggy from "Scooby-Doo" and earned $284 in tips.

One of his tricks was to jump up onstage and sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

"My table gave me $20 a person," he said. "And a few people from random tables came up to me and gave me money, too."

The executive director of the school, Kevin Dunning, was on the wait staff, as well. But instead of performing, he sold raffle tickets. The prizes were items such as a week's worth of acting lessons at The Acting Bug, a golf package at Angel Park Golf Course and a vehicle maintenance package at Integrity Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge.

Dinner was followed by a talent show with 14 acts. First place went to Four By Faith, a dance mix performed by Braden Bennett, Brittney Bennett, Trey Harper, and Sarah Strau. Second place went to Gabbie Boyadjian, who sang "Good Morning Baltimore" from "Hairspray." Marjorie Bernard took third place after singing "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid."