Daniel Hand High School
Welcome to VIBE!!
We're so glad that you're part of the VIBE show choir family! Welcome to Season 27. It's going to be an incredible experience for students and their families, too. VIBE provides an important foundation for students at DHHS - it will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable aspects of high school for participants. VIBE Supporters are here to make it the best experience it can be.
VIBE Cost and Fees
Show Choir is exciting but expensive. Each year we hire choreographers ($18,000), show designers and music arrangers ($40,000), bus drivers ($5,000), musicians and band directors ($15,000), custodians ($3,000), expert clinicians ($2,000) and more. Costumes can cost $500+ per student, with a total costume cost of $35,000 to $40,000. VIBE's budget is funded entirely by the VIBE Supporters' fundraising efforts, not by the school district.
Participation in VIBE requires a financial commitment from each student and their family. Student participation fees make a small dent in our annual budget of over $150,000.
2026-2027 Financial Obligations:
Participation Fees:
-
Choir $500
-
Band $325
-
Crew $125
Additional out of pocket costs for families that are not included in the participation fees:
-
Special trips (Heart of America or similar travel competition outside of New England)
-
Certain costume items (underclothing, shoes, up to approximately $100).
-
Team jackets, tshirts, gear for students and supporters (optional, costs vary)
-
Year-end Banquet tickets (approximately $40 each, optional)
-
Competitions: Students may bring food or purchase food from host schools during competitions. Tickets for spectators range from $15-30.
-
There is currently no costume fee. However, due to the high cost of custom-made costumes ($500+ per student), we may need to implement a costume fee in the future, possibly this season.
Financial Aid
We understand that the participation fees may present a financial hardship for some families. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of all of our volunteers, we have limited funds available to offset costs for families in need. To make financial aid possible, all families requesting aid must volunteer to support VIBE fundraising and must participate in all possible fundraisers. Requests for financial support are due by August 10th for choir and by September 25th for band. Crew needs will be assessed later in the season. FINANCIAL AID FORM
Donation in lieu of Volunteering
Some families have the financial means to make donations in lieu of volunteering. If your family has the means to do so, please consider a donation of $3,000 per student for a "get out of volunteering free card." For a donation of that size, the VIBE Supporters Board will not bother you about volunteering this year.
Steps for Registration
Please register your student by completing the steps below. Registration is required every year for every student.
-
If necessary, complete Financial Aid Form NO LATER THAN AUGUST 10th (choir) or September 25th (band). If approved for financial aid, you will receive a code that you can use during the payment process to allow you to register your student without payment.
-
All students, new and returning, must review the 2026-2027 VIBE Student Handbook. Parents must also review the handbook and affirm their student's understanding of the requirements for participation in VIBE.
-
Pay participation fee and complete online form (button below or go to zeffy) NO LATER THAN AUGUST 12th (choir) or September 28th (band) or asap (crew).
-
Submit completed medical and travel forms here. Print each form, complete it with ink, then snap a photo or create a pdf to submit the form online. You may also submit paper forms directly to Ron Soja (at first choreography rehearsal in August or ASAP if band/crew)
-
Open, Print, Sign, & Submit:
-
After Registration
-
Save all the important dates:
-
Volunteer to keep the VIBE machine running:
-
Join the parents' Facebook group:
-
Additional Ways to Donate to VIBE:
-
Heartbeat Club: Small, steady donations are the pulse of VIBE. Please help us keep the beat by starting your recurring monthly donation to VIBE today. Join VIBE's Heartbeat Club!
-
Raise Right: You can also support VIBE through the Raise Right program, www.raiseright.com. When you purchase gift cards for major retailers, Raise Right will donate a percentage to VIBE. You can even support VIBE through your everyday purchases. Just purchase gift cards for yourself to spend at Stop & Shop, Amazon, Starbucks, Shell and many other retailers where you regularly shop. Please contact vibecabaret@gmail.com to request the enrollment code for VIBE.
-
Volunteer Time Matching: Get your employer to match your VOLUNTEER TIME with a donation through Benevity.org.
-
Donation Matching: Find out if your employer has a donation matching program and ask them to match your donations.
-
Directed QCD: For people over age 70.5 who must take a Required Minimum Distribution from their IRA each year, making a Qualified Charitable Distribution directly to a non-profit like VIBE Show Choir Supporters can reduce taxable income and help avoid increases in medicare insurance premiums. Please ask your financial advisor about this.
-
Donor Advised Fund (DAF): An investment account for philanthropic giving that offers an immediate tax benefit and the flexibility to support your preferred charities. Provide a one-time donation to help with expenses this season, set up a recurring donation to help each season, or name Vibe Show Choir Supporters as the beneficiary for your DAF to provide support after your lifetime. Please ask your financial advisor about this.
-
-
Start talking to local and regional businesses about why VIBE is important to our community and how they can support VIBE. Watch for advertising and collaboration opportunities.