SPEARFISH, S.D. (Jacket Journal) – The Black Hills State University Campus Activities Board hosted a Lip Sync Battle in the Jacket Legacy Room on Nov. 20 to raise money for the Kenadi Jean Weis Foundation. Teams of students and faculty competed in showing off their lip syncing talents to choreographed routines.

Kenadi Jean Weis Foundation Vice President Randy L. Deibert and executive board member Lori J. Deibert joined audience members to cheer on the performers.

The non-profit Kenadi Jean Weis Foundation was established in Spearfish in 2014 in memory of 5-year-old Kenadi Jean Weis. The foundation provides advocacy, support and resources for children with special needs and their families. One of the foundation’s projects, the Kenadi Jean Weis Memorial Scholarship, is awarded annually to a BHSU undergraduate majoring in Special Education.

BHSU alumnus Kyle Graves and his group, College Democrats and Pride, spent three days rehearsing for the event.

“I expect that we’ll have a lot of fun and take away the trophy for the Lip Sync Battle championship,” said Graves before the battle, “I think we have something so many other teams don’t have.”

College Democrats and Pride ultimately took first place for student performances. The Joy Center took first place for staff performances.

Other competing teams included the BHSU Cheer Team, Jacket Pack, and members of Sigma Tau Gamma.

For the past five years, CAB has encouraged all BHSU student clubs and organizations to participate in their fundraisers.

“We invite the clubs and organizations,” said Rachel Kremer, President of CAB, “and not just being us asking for money, but for putting on a really fun show and bringing everyone together for a night of fun for a good cause.”

According to Randy Deibert, CAB’s fundraisers are a unique opportunity to integrate with a generation that will become a social structure to support their events.

“It benefits our group in many ways. First, it’s involved with the university since we have a scholarship fund,” Deibert said. “It’s a chance for us to interact with the students and the faculty.”

Attendees at the fundraiser ultimately raised $280 to benefit the foundation. All proceeds were donated to the Kenadi Jean Weis Foundation general fund.

The Campus Activities Board is a student-run organization. It hosts events and activities for BHSU students and staff as well as the Spearfish community.