Picture collage from the Dancing with the Space Coast Event

The stars were out on Saturday Night, June 1st 2024, at the Florida Institute of Technology’s Clemente Center where the 9th Annual Dancing for the Space Coast Fundraiser was held.

At the June 1st event, the Best Buddies program was one of three local charities selected to participate in the dance competition and fundraising event. Representing Brevard Public Schools (BPS) and the Best Buddies Club at Titusville High School (THS) was recent graduate Dakari Pickens and THS's chair of the Foreign Languages Department, Diana Chaves.

As they entered the center for their red-carpet appearances and an interview with Space Coast Daily Magazine, the two were beaming with pride to represent BPS and, of course, Best Buddies . Dakari gushed about the excitement of his recent graduation from THS and how he looked forward to attending the BPS BLAST Program and continuing his journey as a member of the Best Buddies program in the upcoming school year.

As each dance group hit the floor, spectators watched and cheered as their routines came to an end. While it was ultimately Tom Kammerdener, from Aging Matters, that won the overall dance competition, every charity left the event a winner with more than $400,000 being raised at this year’s Dancing with the Space Coast fundraiser. BPS is proud of the hard work and beautiful performances by both Dakari and Ms. Chaves.