The Amazing Shake
The Amazing Shake, an event originally of the Ron Clark Academy, is a competition that places an emphasis on teaching SOAR students leadership, manners, discipline, respect, and professional conduct. At the SOAR Amazing Shake, students compete in five different rounds of competition to determine who will be the SOAR Amazing Shake Champion. Prior to the competition, students learn the nuances of professional human interaction as they are taught skills such as how to give a proper handshake, how to “work a room,” how to give a successful interview, and how to remain composed under pressure. With these goals in mind, students are coached on the importance of (1) celebrating the success of others, (2) taking feedback as a gift, and (3) remembering that learning is the best part of the journey. The goal is to prepare our students so that they are able to present themselves exceptionally well for opportunities today as well as those that will come in the future. All of our finalist receive a $500 scholarship in the form of an Arkansas 529 account deposit, and the Champion will receive a $1000 scholarship. These scholarships are funded through donations to the Heather White Legacy Fund.
Sponsoring The Amazing Shake
Interested in becoming a sponsor of this amazing event?! There are so many ways to give! Whether you’re our next Title Sponsor, Gaunlet station sponsor, or would like to donate in-kind (venue space, polos, meals) we would greatly appreciate your support!! To learn more, please reach out to ellie@soarafterschool.com
Volunteering at The Amazing Shake
Many of our students do not grow up with "social capital" - environments where they are exposed to professions that call for more advanced skills and degrees. The Amazing Shake competition not only puts them face-to-face with these professionals but facilitates a life-changing process that transfers belief from others to belief in themselves and their future. Whether it’s lightening-round scenario stations in the Gauntlet, learning the nuances of professional interactions such as how to give a proper handshake, how to "work a room”, or how to remain composed under pressure- The Amazing Shake is a unique opportunity for leaders in our community to experience the courage, confidence and potential of SOAR students and we hope YOU will join us this year!
Round 1
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Volunteers are assigned to one of 30 different scenario stations either acting as a scoring judge, actor, or sometimes both. Every 60 seconds new students rotate to new stations. Examples of stations include walking the runway, dealing with an upset customer at a restaurant, Youtube unboxing video, silent disco, etc.
Round 2
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Volunteers are placed in an open room, and students are tasked with networking their way around the room making connections with the judges during a 30 minute time frame. This looks like what you would traditionally imagine in a networking event.
Round 3
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Volunteers are seated in a circle. Students are seated in an inner circle facing the judge. Each judge is preassigned a thought provoking question that they will ask each student as they rotate around the circle every 60 seconds. Examples of questions include "Who is an important figure in current events?" - "Is it ever okay to lie?" - "If you could be any superhero, who would you be, and why?" - etc.
Round 4
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Volunteers will either participate in a 1 hour networking dinner where they partake in a formal meal with participants or serve as the wait staff for the meal, who act as secret judges in the competition.
Round 5
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Volunteers at the finals serve on a panel of 8 judges and participate in judging the final rounds which include presentations, a debate, and on stage interviews.
Check out the fun of Amazing Shake with our highlight videos!
