Crystal Lake Central's student council wanted to get classmates excited about an upcoming Dance-A-Thon to raise money for the children's cardiac unit at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.

So the council's executive board created a promotional video for the Feb. 9 event to get students "pumped up."

The group, working with other student volunteer groups at the school, released the video to Central High School students on Friday, even posting it on YouTube, hoping to generate excitement and participation for the dance fundraiser scheduled from 6 to 10 p.m. in the CLC Fieldhouse.

Central student Chris Dowell served as videographer (with help from English teacher Benjamin Thomas), and fellow students Colin Telmanik and Brent Pfaff stepped up to lead the dance choreography - which takes viewers through the high school halls and to Crystal Lake businesses such as KaleidoScoops, Country Donuts, Andy's Restaurant, Tommy's and The Raue Center for the Arts.

The video opens with a statement from former Crystal Lake Central student Colleen Gleason, 20, as she sits in a hospital bed at Lurie Children's Hospital. Gleason has been waiting three months for a donor heart. Gleason had her first heart transplant surgery when she was three years old, she said.

Gleason was part of the inspiration for the council selecting Lurie as the recipient of the Central's fourth annual charity week program. Central guidance counselor Tamara Jazwinski also wanted to help Lurie as her son, Matthew, now a fifth-grader in Cary, has had three heart surgeries there.

"Colleen always wanted to do something to raise awareness for the pediatric cardiac unit," said student council member Autumn Sobel. "Colleen loved Central High School and always was a great leader. She even coordinated a toy drive (for children) from her hospital bed this year."

For the Dance-A-Thon, Central High School students must register in 10-person teams and ask friends and family to donate to their cause. The council aims to raise $5,000 from the dance.

Anyone wanting to donate to the cause can write a check to Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, or donate online with a credit card by clicking on the link on the Crystal Lake Central homepage, which will lead users to a donation site.