Five middle school students and their counselor drove nine hours this weekend from a much warmer, drier North Carolina to see the inspiration for their own mini dance-a-thon.

They also came to earn Penn State's recognition of their philanthropic fund-raiser.

The goodwill surrounding the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon has spread not only to those children who benefit directly from it, but also to other communities.

Mike Meyer, who was recognized at Thon on Saturday with his students, is a graduate of Penn State's counselor education program. He started a dance-a-thon in his North Carolina middle school, Cedar Creek, to help make his students more aware of their local community.

"It's a sort of character education, making the students aware of other people's problems, so that helping others will become second nature," Meyer said.

The "mini-thon," which was held for the first time last spring, will take place again this year on April 4. Last year, the students of Cedar Creek raised about $7,000 for the Duke Children's Miracle Network and the United Way of Franklin County (N.C.). Duke's Miracle Network was chosen because it was the nearest thing to the Four Diamonds Fund, Meyer said. The United Way was chosen because it offers educational grants.

The students danced from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. last year. Before the dancing began, there was a laser show that was open to the community. "I learned about the idea of a dance-a-thon through Mr. Meyer, and the kids really got a lot out of it," said Jeff Smale, a sixth grade teacher at Cedar Creek, who is also a Penn State alumnus.

Saturday, Meyer and his five students were given the opportunity to talk to students from other middle and high schools who were going to start their own versions of Thon.

His students had the opportunity to see the origin of their fund-raiser, and to see some of the children who benefit from the money raised.

"It was great seeing the kids; it was the best part," said David Kennedy, one of the five students from Cedar Creek middle school attending Thon. All the Cedar Creek students said they greatly enjoyed themselves, spraying water guns and throwing balls around.