Parents and kids dance to same beat at Family Fun & Resource Night

By Ian Swaby
| 7:15 p.m. February 9, 2024

Attendees dance together, with Talia Von Bender, Jamie Taylor and Marisa Von Bender in front.

Sarasota
Schools

Despite the upbeat nature of the Family Fun & Resource Night held at Booker Middle School on Feb. 8, there was more going on beneath the surface of the event.

While children and adults took to the platform in the school’s courtyard to dance in synchronization, there were also resources on display, like CenterPlace Health, MCR Health and Women’s Resource Center.

The event, which made its debut that night, helped bring together the community in North Sarasota County for the benefit of students, said Harriet Moore, director of strategic engagement for Sarasota County Schools.

“We want to engage students, and parents and staff, and our community so that we can strengthen our families and then, at the end of the day, impact our students’ achievement,” she said.

At the same time, members of the community said they enjoyed the chance to get together with others for the celebratory event which featured activities like face painting, cornhole, a 360-degree photo booth and student performances in the cafeteria.

“Honestly, it’s so much fun,” said Annabelle Truong, a high school senior and student ambassador for College for Every Student. “There’s a nostalgia in interacting with all of the younger kids.”

The school district also will be holding a similar event in South Sarasota County in the future.

“We hope that families will understand that when we engage with their students, then their students are more likely to be successful,” said Parent and Family Engagement Administrator Davian Spires.

Andrew Ashby, David Ma and Sophia Lander, ninth graders at Pine View School, served pizza to attendees.

Matteo Morales, 5, has his face painted by Sophia Cavalluzzi.

Talia-Lee Von Bender has her photo taken with her daughter Marisa Von Bender, a junior at Booker High School.

Booker High School seniors Lesli Gonzalez and Annabelle Truong make a toss together in a game of cornhole.

Michal Bennett of MCR Health speaks with Judith Sanchez of Women's Resource Center.

Booker High School seniors Mekhi Jones, Chloe Johnson and Aurora Newcomb

MiKayla Kundle of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida and Shannon Powers of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium

Alexander Thompson, 7, and Willow Thompson, 4

Lauren Piatt dances with her son, Dax Piatt, 9.

Harriet Moore, director of strategic engagement and Sara Dan, director of Food and Nutrition Services, enjoy the scene.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.