LIP SYNC BATTLE: SECOND ANNUAL EVENT COMING TO THE CENTER THEATER

Hartsville, SC. Four teams of adolescent youth will compete, with guest appearances by local celebrities, for Lip Sync Battle Champion on Thursday, May 23 at 7:00pm at The Center Theater in Hartsville, SC. The Lip Sync Battle event is the students' idea to raise general operating funds for the Youth Leadership Development after-school program provided by the 501(c)3 charitable organization, Cypress Adventures, Inc.

Since 2015, Cypress Adventures has served 215 middle and high school aged youth by providing outdoor/experiential education, peer mentoring, and service learning. The free, 14-week Youth Leadership Development Program (YLD Program) utilizes Positive Youth Development theory, which considers teens in the context of their strengths and assets to be developed as opposed to risk factors and problematic behaviors to be eliminated. Over the past four years, students of Cypress Adventures have been building the organization and its programs by putting their leadership skills to work raising funds and increasing awareness of the need for teen-specific programming in our community.

The four teams of Cypress students competing in this Second Annual Lip Sync Battle are the 2018/19 YLD Program graduates. After spending 14 weeks learning and growing as a group, each team has selected one song to perform as an expression of what is important and meaningful to them. At the inaugural event last August, six teams competed for Lip Sync Battle Champion. Teams were made up of approximately 60 graduates between 2015 - 2018. Performances included, “Summertime” by Will Smith, “Unpack Your Heart" by Phillip Phillips, “Waterfall” by TLC, “Thunder” by Imagine Dragons, “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson, and “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten. Team #4, with Thunder, won People’s Favorite by selling the most $5 votes. Team #6, with Fight Song, won Lip Sync Battle Champion by audience applause.

After deconstructing the value messages in the songs they listen to, each of the four competing teams has chosen a song that represents the values they want to share with the community. The teams have been working hard to create sets, costumes, and performances that are sure to captivate the audience. Local celebrities will join each team to show their support for youth voice in our community. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students 5-17 or with a school ID. Audience applause will determine Lip Sync Battle Champion. In addition, People’s Favorite will be awarded to the team that receives the most $5 votes. Visit www.cypressadventures.org to purchase tickets, cast your vote, or to learn more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities. 

Cypress Adventures is a youth advocacy organization in Hartsville, SC that operates with the mission to educate and inspire independent students to positively impact their communities and to become effective leaders for 21st Century democracy.