The Wayne Hills Student Dance Association put on a spectacular show this year. The advisers, captains, and dancers are to be credited for the amazing turnout, though the ones who truly made this possible were the 2022 Overalls.

The 2022 Overalls, Sarina Ramirez and Irene Lignos, are seniors who have been a part of the SDA program since their freshman year. They both cherish SDA as one of their most memorable parts of high school and appreciate everything they have gained from being a part of the program. What is so special about their experiences in SDA is that they had the opportunity to be overalls this year, and have come out of it having learned so many valuable lessons, especially about what it means to be leaders.

SDA’s 2022 Maroon Overall, Sarina Ramirez, says her position taught her about the balance between work and fun, and that “everything will work out in the end”. She admits that there were hard practices and moments when she didn’t have much hope, but learned the key to success in the end. She says, “I learned that instead of being hard on the girls, I had to encourage them to want to work harder.” Ramirez understood that hard times called for lots of patience, and that the secret behind victory was actually patience, encouragement, and desire.

The White Overall, Irene Lignos, has come out of being an SDA leader with the mindset of a role model. Her reasoning for this is that, “I must set a good example for my team because they look up to me in ways that I don’t even realize.” For Lignos, being in charge of eighty girls definitely changed how she views leadership. She now understands the importance of being a responsible, mature model for those who are counting on you to lead them, and says, “my perspective on leadership for the future has changed drastically.”

Both overalls have learned different, but incredibly valuable lessons about leadership this year. However, there is one thing that they absolutely agree on: the best reward from being a part of SDA is the friendships and memories they made.

Over the past four years, Ramirez has made so many friends and formed so many close bonds with all of the dancers. What makes her experience most memorable, she says, are “all of the laughs and memories that I will remember forever.” Along with learning about the importance of patience and encouragement, she learned to cherish those laughing attacks during practice and the new, unexpected bonds she made with so many people.

Lignos’ SDA experience has allowed her to form so many bonds with people and share unforgettable memories with them. She is most appreciative of all of the people she met and got close with, saying that “The friends I have made from this program are friendships that will last a lifetime.” To her, the best parts about being in SDA are the support and love the team gives to one another, and that “each and every person brings something different and amazing to the team.”

Not only are the SDA participants grateful for their overalls, but the overalls give it right back to them. The overalls cannot thank their teams enough for giving them such unique and memorable experiences, and especially for teaching them what it means to be leaders who everyone can count on.