By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
Celebration Community Church hosted Night to Shine on Friday. The annual event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, celebrates a prom night experience for individuals with special needs due to intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and featured dancing, games, a red carpet, karaoke, and get-togethers for friends and families.
For the people who walked on stage, Night to Shine allowed them to present themselves as more than their conditions.
“[I revealed] the best of my ability,” participant James Hemphill said. “I play Basketball for my Special Olympics team. That’s my ability.”
Each person with special needs who walked on stage was introduced with hobbies they enjoy and strengths that define them.
“It’s a night for them to feel like they matter and have value,” event volunteer Jessica Johnson said. “It’s a time to celebrate them, and it’s such a wonderful event for not just people to participate but volunteers as well.”
Johnson volunteered to assist Logan Reitz at the prom.
“Even though I met him 15 minutes before, I felt so proud and honored to be his buddy,” she said. “It’s beneficial for us as the volunteers because we get to be vulnerable, let our guards down, and get to interact with some individuals we don’t typically get to interact with.”
The night concluded with every guest being crowned king and queen.
“This night has been very special,” event participant Jennifer Smith said. “Everybody got together and had fun. It made them smile.”
The Night to Shine prom night experience takes place on stage inside Celebration Community Church. 
People of all ages with intellectual and physical disabilities were represented at the event. 
Each participant was introduced with a strength they posses and hobbies with enjoy. 
Night to Shine has taken place in Hays since 2015. 
Joseph Newton is assisted up stage by Robert Williams. 
For participants, Night to Shine had a positive impact in that it gave them a smile. 
Shellia Gillett is rolled on stage. 
Married couple Lauren and Wanda pose with their service dog Boogie Woogie. 
Chris Morris draws Jennifer Smith’s caricature. 
Brandon Johnson wraps together a balloon animal. 
Participants posed with their families for photos. 
Night to Shine participants dance with their assistants. 
Families across the Northwestern Kansas region came to attend the special night organized by the Tim Tebow Foundation. 
Night to Shine concluded with guests crowning each other as King and Queen. 
The prom was organized to highlight individuals with special needs as more than what they are diagnosed with. 
James Hemphill sings a Karaoke version of “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere.”