Flash Mob Uplifts Mary Lin Morale

Mary Lin students participated in a spectacular flash mob at the Candler Park Fall Festival on Saturday, October 13^th.

Approximately 100-125 students, parents, and teachers danced enthusiastically to the song “Firework” by Katy Perry. The students began practicing for this event four weeks ago, which was coordinated by Peggy Edwards, a parent at Mary Lin Elementary. Practice sessions were regularly provided twice a week, once at 7:15 a.m. and at 2:45 p.m. The practices were optional to anyone who was interested, and the dance choreography was also posted on Youtube in order for students to practice at home.

This flash mob served a multi-purpose for the Mary Lin community. It promoted a healthy lifestyle of physical exercise in a fun way for the children, but it also uplifted the unity and strength of the community as a whole. “It was really one of the best things I’ve been involved with in a long time,” says Peggy Edwards. “The morale of the community has been pretty low for the last year, and this project brought everyone together in a powerful way.”

The Mary Lin staff and parents were very supportive of this project as a teacher displayed the choreography video on the promethean board 5 minutes before dismissals, PE classes used the dance as a warm up exercise, and students were practicing at home and proudly performing the dance for their families. Peggy was pleasantly surprised as the flash mob literally became a mob of over 100 people, when she was expecting about 50 participants. Teachers, parents, and students who had never attended the practices were familiar with the routine and joined in as the music started. Many appreciative notes and messages were sent to Peggy expressing how this project brightened their community spirit and brought smiles to their childrens’ faces.

“That’s what’s so great about our school, that we’re such a tight community, and it was really cool to do something fun together,” Peggy concludes.