In her first year as a special education paraeducator at St. Cloud Apollo High School, Shana Black saw an opportunity outside of the classroom to get more students involved and spread some school spirit along the way.

Black was a new employee at Apollo in 2021-22, and immediately began building connections with students. More than 100 students added their name to a piece of paper when she asked them in the hallway: “Do you like to dance?” She took that group of students and started the Majorettes – an all-inclusive dance group.

Black, who has a dance background and experience from her prior role in Texas, made it clear from the beginning that the Majorettes were for everyone, regardless of their dance background. The Majorettes are non-competitive, and Black worked to create a social environment where every student felt welcome, safe, and beautiful.

In their first season at Apollo, the Majorettes danced at halftime of basketball games, at school parades, and at other community events. Black made sure to spotlight all dancers – dancers with fancy footwork, dancers with gymnastics skills, groups of students who were interested in performing a routine together, and dancers who learned everything they knew from Wii Sports’ Just Dance videos. 

To help fund the Majorettes, Black recruited sponsors from the community and, on her own time, solicited private donations to help give her team a fun and rewarding experience. The group’s final event of the year was a dance show that was all about them, and they raised more than $1,200 selling tickets to family members and the community.

Every dancer who wants time in the spotlight gets it with the Majorettes, and Black makes sure all the performers know that everyone is welcome – no prior skills necessary. She is breaking down barriers for dancers of all kinds at St. Cloud Apollo and creating a welcoming environment in sport to help build confidence, school spirit and community.