By Amanda Boston
Got talent? IMPACT’s Got Talent, and on Friday, May 5, the nonprofit organization will hold its Third annual talent show, a spin-off of NBC’s television show, America’s Got Talent. The family fun kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at Bloomingdale High School, located at 1700 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico. The fundraising event will also hold a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction with fabulous gift baskets.
Young stars will light up the stage in a variety of acts—singing, dancing, acting, and instrument playing, to name a few. School-aged contestants will compete against one another for prestige and prizes. First and second place trophies will be awarded in each category with an overall grand prize of $250.
General admission tickets are $15 per adult and $5 per student. Preferred seating is available for $20 per adult and $10 per student. Doors open at 6 p.m. for preferred seating and 6:10 p.m. for general admission. All ticket sales benefit the IMPACT program.
Angie Kagey, the Executive Director of IMPACT, explained, “We are the prevention arm of the local pregnancy center encouraging teens to make healthy choices, so they are not in the situation where they need the pregnancy center.” Since 1998, the multidimensional organization has served the Hillsborough community with the goal “to educate, equip, empower and support students, parents and teachers in the area of sexual risk avoidance and healthy relationships.”
Teen IMPACT is a group of high school teens devoted to a lifestyle that is free of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and premarital sex. During the academic year, teens garner peer support in IMPACT’s student-led school clubs. Moreover, IMPACT has teamed up with the local high school’s HOPE (Healthy Opportunities through Physical Education) program and Family and Consumer Science classes. The classroom education not only imparts the importance of making positive choices, but also provides practical guidance on circumventing risky behavior.
In the summer, high school students can participate in the Summer Staff program. For eight weeks, a group of selected students perform skits that encourage abstinence and healthy lifestyle choices for their peers in community organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA’s, recreation centers and churches. The skits use comedic drama as the pathway into serious subjects like sex and drugs.
Last summer, Cassi Graf, a Newsome High School freshman participated and said, “I felt that IMPACT’s Summer Staff was a great experience and personally loved the message.” Applications for Summer Staff will be accepted until Friday, April 14 and are available on IMPACT’s Website.
With a staff three, the nonprofit organization heavily relies on its volunteer force. “We are the eighth largest school district in the nation and could not do this without our volunteers,” said Kagey. Formerly, IMPACT was under the auspices of the LifeCare Network, a local pregnancy center but became its own 501(c) 3 non-profit organization in 2010. “LifeCare is still a financial and relational partner, but the program grew in such a way that it needed to have its own funding strength,” stated Kagey. IMPACT receives its funding from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, local pregnancy centers, individuals, churches, businesses and fundraising events. IMPACT’s primary fundraiser is its annual Celebration Dinner at The Regent in Riverview, which will be held on Thursday, September 21.
For information on IMPACT, visit www.whatisimpact.com. For further questions, contact Angie Kagey at akagey@whatisimpact.com or 264-9368.
