Students will show off their talents and raise money For The Kids during the second annual THON Showcase at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 17, at Eisenhower Auditorium.

Sixteen acts will perform, including THON committees, dance groups, and the first-ever Commonwealth Campus. Judges student body president Cody Heaton, Homecoming executive director Isabella Webster, and Four Diamonds teen Anees Ayaz will select four finalists to participate in a brief Q&A about THON and its cause. Finalists’ responses during the Q&A will determine their final standings.

The grand prize for the first place performance will include $2,500 credited to the winning group’s THON total, a performance during THON weekend, and a trip to the Hershey Fashion Show at Penn State Children’s Hospital.

Tickets to the event cost $8, and $5.25 of that can be credited to your org’s THON total. THON didn’t give an explanation for the other $2.75, but it appears that portion would go to facilities and production at Eisenhower Auditorium. The ratio is unusual for THON, which boasts an impressive stat in that $.95 of every $1 goes directly to Four Diamonds, the organization’s sole beneficiary.

If you’re feeling particularly financially responsible, event sponsor First National Bank will donate $100 to THON for each new account opened at the showcase.

The program for this year’s showcase is as follows:

• Tapestry Dance Company
• Preston Hoopes for Dancer Relations Captain Committee
• Apollo
• Megan McPaul and Kyle Mullen, performing with Irish step dance group Rince Na Leon
• Sigma Delta Tau/Kappa Sigma
• Volé, the Penn State Ballet Club
• Shakay Simpson and Manny Williams for Kyleigh Graham’s Comm Committee
• Penn State Law benefitting THON
• Penn State Beaver
• Eva Blankenhorn and Joe Wong for Hospitality Captain Committee
• Whiplash Dance Company
• Phi Chi Theta
• FOTO
• RAM Squad
• Gabby Morales and Sophia Perez for Emily Johnson’s R&R Committee
• The Singing Lions