A teenager from Fullerton has spent her summer of COVID-19 teaching dance to young people with disabilities. She used technology to create hundreds of smiles, and she's our KNX Hero of the Week!
Elliana Kim has been dancing since she was 3 years old. Now, as a 17-year-old senior at Sunny Hills High School, she's dancing her way into the hearts of Southern Californians. "I wanted to do something for the kids, because I know it’s hard being stuck at home for such a long time," says Elliana. "So, I thought of creating these dance classes."
Elliana has been a long-time volunteer at ReImagine in Orange County. It’s an organization that provides therapy to children with disabilities. Elliana helps with their dance program. But when the pandemic hit, the program had to temporarily stop.
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So, Elliana went online and created the Always Dancing Project. It's a program that provides free, daily dance classes through Zoom. "I have class for ages 0-3, 4-7 and 8-12," explains Elliana.
Online dance instruction has become very popular over the last few months, but classes can be costly, and Elliana says they often do not cater to children with special needs.
Angie Medina is with ReImagine OC and she says Elliana has a special spirit, and she's unlike other teens her age. "Most kids would rather be at the beach, or dancing with their friends," says Angie, "but [Elliana] has been dedicated to these children. Even during the holidays and her days off, she's always trying to help some way, or another."
"This dance project is really, really amazing," says Angie, "targeting children with special needs. Especially when there's limited resources."
Elliana says she does it for the joy that dancing brings. "When I see their smiles while I'm teaching them, it just makes me so happy!"
Seventeen-year-old Elliana Kim is our KNX Hero of the Week!
KNX Heroes is presented by California Resources Corporation, saluting our military veterans, and all of our heroes!
If you'd like to know more about Elliana's "Always Dancing Project" go to https://sites.google.com/view/alwaysdancingproject/home
You can also visit ReImagine OC at https://reimagineoc.org/
To nominate a KNX Hero of the Week, send an email to heroes@KNX1070.com, or fill out a nomination form at https://knx1070.radio.com/nominate
