Meet The Team

Claire is a junior at State College Area High School. She is passionately involved in ballet and traditional cultural styles, including Chinese and West African dance. Claire’s vision is to use dance to close disparities present in food insecure communities and the performing arts. Through her leadership of DAH, Claire aims to engage, uplift, and celebrate youth. 

Katie McWhirter is a junior at State College Area High School in Centre County. Her main interests are ski racing, adventuring with friends, and hanging out with her puppy. Katie is very excited to be a part of DAH where she can assist with a very influential cause against world hunger and in support of local dance studios. 

Patty is a junior at State College Area High School. Outside of DAH, she works with clubs at State High such as Yoga Club, Key Club, and HOSA. In her free time, Patty enjoys traveling to new places, reading, and exercising. Her vision for DAH is to work to ensure that all children in State College have access to food security, meanwhile placing emphasis on the value of performing arts.

Elsie Umbel is in 11th grade. She has been dancing for eleven years and enjoys learning and connecting with others through dance. Along with this, she spends time volunteering in the kids ministry at her church, going to youth group, reading, playing piano, and hanging out with friends and family. She’s also involved with TSA and Art Club at Sate High.

Dianna Halloran is a junior in Centre County. She is passionate about law and learning about those around her, as well as being involved in the community to provide a lending hand where she can. She hopes she can bring that to the table in DAH as they provide food security and a creative outlet through dance.

Mayra is an 11th grade student at State College Area High School with an interest in helping others. She cares deeply about preventing food insecurity in struggling communities and believes doing this through dance, a form of art, can change the world and make it a better place. Fascinated by science and the world around her, Mayra is confident this can be achievable through collaboration and perseverance.

Megan Smarkusky is a junior at State College Area High School in Centre County, PA. Her interests include photography, graphic design, and working with young children. Through DAH, Megan hopes to use the power of social media to spread awareness about world hunger.

Eva is a junior. She is a part of string and chamber orchestra, playing viola in both. In DAH, she hopes to help move toward a future where childhood hunger is a thing of the past, while exposing people to personal expression via dance.

Lauren is a junior at State College Area High School. She has been playing the violin for over eight years and loves to spend her time outside in warm weather. Through DAH, she hopes to lend a helping hand to the community and spread awareness about world hunger.