Kansas City Kansas Community College’s oldest tradition, the 97th-annual Candle Lighting Ceremony, is at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, in the KCKCC Performing Arts Center on the main campus, 7250 State Ave.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person seating is limited and seats must be reserved in advance for this free event. (The reservation website is at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Bm3EI-PF40K4SHY-uwLmraHsWLpiLyJMlYDIqk2-PHdURDJCV0JJSDRGQ1A3N0dIOVBXSjFBVDFVMy4u&qrcode=true)
The ceremony will also be livestreamed on the KCKCC Facebook and Vimeo pages.
The ceremony will highlight students in the KCKCC Music Department and Theatre Department as well as KCKCC Foundation scholarship donors and recipients.
Among the groups performing will be the KCKCC Jazz Band, The Standard Vocal Jazz Ensemble and Funk Band as well as video showcases from the KCKCC Pioneer Career Center (PCC) and Dr. Thomas R. Burke Technical Education Center (TEC).
This year’s keynote speaker will be Ismael Garcia, a KCKCC alumnus.
“This year will mark the 97th anniversary for the KCKCC Candle Lighting program,” said Andrica Wilcoxen, director of student activities. “This is the longest tradition in the city, and the event showcases the many talents from the past to present of our KCKCC alumni and students at all of our locations. This event showcases student talent and why it is so important to give to scholarships. We are so grateful for our current and future donors.”
KCKCC faculty members started the candle lighting ceremony in December 1924, the year after KCKCC was founded. It remains the oldest tradition at KCKCC and serves as an opportunity for students, staff and faculty to celebrate the upcoming holiday season. During that first year, a collection was taken to fund student scholarships. This tradition has continued and over the years, several thousands of dollars have been collected for student scholarships.
“It is often said that KCKCC is a ‘hidden jewel’ in our area. Current donors can see how their donations are being used, and we can introduce future donors to the wonderful talent here on campus,” Wilcoxen said. “We just don’t want to be a ‘hidden jewel.’ We want people to know we are the ‘jewel’ of the Dotte.”
At the event, KCKCC alumni and community members may give free will donations to support the KCKCC student scholarship fund.
For more information about the 97th Candle Lighting Ceremony, contact Andrica Wilcoxen at 913-288-7652 or [email protected].
- Information from KCKCC