North Augusta High School's Beta Club proved this year that they have talent and can dance.
With their performance of Grease, the school finally beat Chesnee High School at the state competition in February after taking second place to them every year, said club advisor Susan Marks-Johnson.
The first place finish landed the team a chance to compete for the national title. The Beta Club will travel to Orlando, Fla. June 17-20 with 23 students. This is the first year that the Beta Club has taken a group to nationals.
"I think Chesnee High School is excellent competition and something we definitely try to rise up to," she said. "The kids really worked extra hard to make it and to make sure it was good."
Marks-Johnson said the entire performance was student led, from the choreography to mixing the music together.
They will also compete in the scrapbook category as a result of second at state.
Thanks to fundraisers, the $10,000 in costs for the trip has been reduced to about $1,500 out-of-pocket expenses, she said.
The Beta Club recently held a Mr. NASH competition that raised about $945.
"We've had maybe one person place in the individual competition before," she said.
In 2008 club member Julia Price made nationals for spelling.
While most of the trip will be hard work, students will get one afternoon to enjoy Disney World, she said.
Anyone interested in contributing to the trip can e-mail Marks-Johnson at smjohnson@ aiken.k12.sc.us or bring their donation to the school located at 2000 Knobcone Avenue.
"We are so excited and we hope to bring home North Augusta a win and kind of put North Augusta on the map for Beta Club at the national level," she said.
To follow-up with how the Beta Club is doing day-by-day with the competition, visit northaugustatoday.com beginning June 17.
Reach Crystal Garcia at crystal.garcia@northaugustatoday.com.
