All photos taken by Noelle Miller
Every year on the Friday before Valentine’s day, Night to Shine (NTS) is hosted by churches all around the world. Started in 2015 by the Tim Tebow foundation, NTS is a one of a kind prom experience for those with special needs. The event has grown from its starting point of 44 churches and three countries into over 850 churches and 63 countries now participating in the event.
According to the Tim Tebow Foundation, “Night to Shine is a complimentary event for people with special needs hosted by local churches around the world. The event is open to anyone living with disabilities, ages 14 and older.”
Impact Around the World
While NTS is a big event in Salem, its impact travels far beyond the city. In Uganda, the event brings a night of celebration. A time, one night year where people are celebrated for just being themselves.
According to the Tim Tebow Foundation, “Jared Scheppmann, Executive Director of Ekisa Ministries, explained that families living with a disability in Uganda will sometimes even face eviction from their homes. ‘The stigma and the discrimination that people face is heartbreaking. Families are sometimes kicked out of where they live because the landlord doesn’t want a child with disabilities living there. Oftentimes, children with special needs are literally not counted as part of their family. It is heartbreaking,’ Jared said.”
NTS’s purpose is all about breaking those stigmatisms and showing others that those with disabilities are people, just like everyone else.
Night to Shine 2026
This upcoming NTS will take place on February 13, 2026 from 6:00 to 9:00. There are multiple events taking place all across oregon, but the closest to South Salem High School is one being hosted at Salem Alliance Church. Salem Alliance has hosted this event for 11 years and the effect is reflected throughout the special needs community within the Salem-Keizer area.
Volunteering Opportunities
NTS has multiple different attributes to the event, including makeup and shoe shine stations before the event, limo rides with a red carpet entrance, food, karaoke rooms and a sensory room. There is also a photo booth station for the entirety of the event to capture moments between guests, their buddies and family.
Volunteers and Guests at the photo booth at Salem Alliance’s Night to Shine.
This event is entirely volunteer run, from both members in the church and others. Anyone over the age 16 can volunteer, but people must be at least 18 to help run security. Volunteers can help with Makeup and hair, can shoeshine, cheer at the red carpet, serve food, check coats, dance with others, assist with flowers and crowns, make gift bags, help with karaoke, help with the photo booths, clean up or being a buddy for a guest.
A volunteering shining a guests shoe.
Most of these are during event volunteering work but some, such as set up and clean up crew, happen pre or post event. These roles will probably offer less volunteering hours than other positions as they are not during NTS.
South Volunteers
Some current and previous South students help out with the event, such as Annabelle Rankin ‘26. She volunteered for the first time last year, helping out with the food team. She passed out desserts to the attendees in the main room. There, music was playing, people were dancing, others got photos with the numerous character actors there, such as spiderman and Beauty and the Beast.
“My favorite part of the entire event is when I could dance behind the food table while waiting to serve guests,” Rankin said.
While each volunteer role is important, they all have different set up and clean up requirements.
“First, we set up the tables and place table cloths over them. Next, we bring out the food from the kitchen and decide where to place them based on category, dinner foods versus desserts. We serve people all night long during the dance. Finally, to clean up, we take the leftovers to the kitchen, take off the table cloths and store the tables,” Rankin said.
Photo of Annabelle Rankin ’26 and Audrey Willmschen ’26 volunteering at food stations.
There is two food tables at the event, one in the main room, and one in the sensory room, so quests sensitive to loud noises can eat without being overwhelmed. Food volunteers set up tables, clean them and unpack them at the end of the night. But besides just serving food, NTS gives opportunities to help quests have a lasting, fun experience.
“I help with Night to Shine because it is a great opportunity to help people that experience disabilities,” Rankin said.
Event Impact
For 2026, Night to Shine will be attended and volunteered by many South students and alumni. Among alumni, Kate Campbell and Sadie Booth are returning buddy volunteers for the event.
“I volunteer for night to shine because it is important for people with disabilities to feel celebrated and loved, in a safe and accommodating environment. My favorite part is watching everyone walk down the red carpet,” Kate Campbell said.
The positive energy that the event brings is not only brought by the guests, but also by the volunteers.
“My favorite part of night to shine is seeing everyone happy and having a good time. It’s something I look forward to every year I continue to volunteer because it makes me feel good and I love to see everyone,” Sadie Booth said.
Photo of Sadie Booth, a buddy volunteer, and Abraham Orozco, a guest, both South alumni.
Night to Shine brings people together. Its impact is seen though the unifying themes of the event, and the lasting memories of celebration and fun. No matter the volunteer role, or attending the event, anyone who participates is in for an unforgettable experience.
