Playing basketball, listening to music and eating pizza with friends on a Friday or Saturday night are not typical fundraising activities.

But the number of Pennsylvania middle and high schools that do just that by participating in mini-dance marathons has taken off over the years, raising more than $300,000 in 2005.

Four Diamonds Fund Assistant Coordinator Linda Barry said last year about 17 schools participated or were in the process of hosting a mini-Thon, and this year the number has increased to about 30.

A mini-Thon is a smaller version of the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (Thon) on a smaller scale. Barry said some schools are approached by the fund to host a mini-Thon, or Penn State Thon alumni and Four Diamonds families start events in their school districts.

Mini-Thon chair Samantha Pellet said school districts host different mini-Thon events, such as 12- or 24-hour dance marathons, walk-a-thons or rock-a-thons, which are rocking chair competitions.

The Annville-Cleona Middle/High School raised $21,000 last year with two mini-Thon events, adviser Ryan Clements said.

Clements said the district's mini-Thon started in 1999 with the middle school hosting a walk-a-thon. He said the next year, both the middle and high schools hosted two rock-a-thons, which ran for eight hours on a Saturday. For the rock-a-thon, a team of four has shifts of one-and-half-hour blocks, he added.

Clements said the high school branched off the next year with an overnight 12-hour mini-Thon with different activities throughout the night, such as a talent show, dance floor, power time blocks with sports and games, craft room and Thon wars, a version of Penn State color wars.

He added that the students hold fundraisers from August to April, raising money with car washes, video game tournaments and fantastic Friday, which is a theme day for the students every Friday.

The money these schools raise goes directly to the Four Diamonds Fund and not into the Penn State total, Pellet said.

She said the schools usually have their own captains and committees similar to Penn State Thon and are very willing to donate their time and money.

"Somebody that young giving their time for this effort is truly amazing," Pellet said.

Barry said the schools average $10,000 during their first years, but there are some exceptions.

The Lampeter-Strasburg High School raised $25,000 for its first mini-Thon last year, adviser Jackie St. John said.

St. John said the high school hosts a 12-hour Friday night mini-Thon, which was started by Four Diamonds child Katie Austin.

She said over 300 students signed up this year for the mini-Thon on March 3, which doubled last year's total.

St. John said the high school students can play sports, dance, enter in a talent show or Jell-O eating contest, watch movies or decorate a banner for the Hershey Medical Center.

She said the entrance fee is $50 for students, but they brought in much more with one student donating $1,000 last year.

"This is a really positive experience for our school," St. John said.

Pellet said Penn State hosts an appreciation day for the schools that give to the fund or are inquiring for the future. She said more than 110 students are attending this year's Thon, which is an increase from last year's 75 to 80 attendees.

She said this Saturday, the middle and high school students will learn the line dance and have a short presentation at Phi Delta Theta fraternity, 240 N. Burrowes Rd., before spending time on the dance floor and doing the line dance with the Penn State dancers.

"This day impacts the [middle and high school] kids because they want to duplicate the Thon spirit," Barry said.