ArcadiaFTK, or For The Kids, a student-run fundraising organization committed to supporting children and families impacted by pediatric cancer, held its annual Dance All Knight event on April 10. 

This year, the dance marathon raised over $2,000 for Four Diamonds, an organization that helps cover medical expenses for families at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and fund pediatric cancer research. 

“Dance All Knight is a unique fundraising event because it brings the entire campus together in a really meaningful way,” said ArcadiaFTK Social Media and PR Chair Rachel Szczurek ’28. “It’s not just about raising money, it’s about building a community around a shared cause. What makes it stand out is that it’s both fun and impactful. There’s music, dancing, and activities, but at the center of it all is the mission and the families we’re supporting, which makes the experience a lot more powerful and personal.” 

“This event helps you see the difference you are making and the impact this has on people, but also helps build a community,” added ArcadiaFTK Co-President Ruvy Rivera ’28. “We have food, games going on, a mission that goes along with the night, making it more meaningful, and a chance to meet new people and be with friends to support something big and make a change in someone’s life.”

New this year, ArcadiaFTK introduced a craft station where attendees could make bracelets and bag charms as a way to take a break from the dancing. ArcadiaFTK Co-President Morgan Kiefer ’26 was most excited to carry on the event’s line dancing tradition, though.

“Last year, Professor [Cindy] Planita taught everyone a line dance and made it such a memorable experience. As it’s my last year in college, I’m especially looking forward to creating a fun and memorable environment through line dancing,” Kiefer said before the event.

While the marathon works to fundraise for aid against pediatric cancer, it also creates meaningful bonds in the community through personal stories and shared experiences. 

“Pediatric cancer is a cause very close to my family and me,” said ArcadiaFTK Fundraising Chair Brooke Colibraro ’27. “I have a cousin who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was three, and I saw how difficult it was for their family. We are fortunate enough to live near CHOP, where she was able to receive the best care, but their family truly could not have done it without donors.”

“FTK’s mission is very personal to me because of my sister,” Szczurek explained. “She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at just 13, and watching her go through that at such a young age had a huge impact on me. It showed me how hard cancer is, not just for the person diagnosed, but for their entire family. That’s why this mission matters so much to me. It gives me a way to support kids like my sister and be there for families going through the same thing, reminding them they’re not alone.”

Leading up to Dance All Knight, ArcadiaFTK hosted additional fundraisers, including bake sales, movie nights, a bouquet-making event, Dine and Donate events at Nifty Fifty’s, El Limon, and Weldon Soda Fountain, and a Nothing Bundt Cake bake sale. Proceeds from these efforts all went to Four Diamonds.

“I had the opportunity to visit Hershey Medical Center and speak to the social workers who work with Four Diamonds, and they said that because of the donations, families feel a weight being lifted off their shoulders,” explained Colibraro. “That statement made me realize how impactful our work is.”

For organizers, the event’s impact goes beyond a single night.

“While it is personal to me, what really drew me in was the strong sense of community and the opportunity to make a difference through something bigger than myself,” Szczurek said. “There’s something really powerful about having so many people in one place, all supporting the same mission.”