As they pounded their feet on the gymnasium floor and practiced their choreography Friday evening, about 60 children helped raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence.

Students from Pinckney School won the trophy at the first Kappa Achievement Step Show at Central Junior High School, organized by the Kansas University chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

A team from New York School took second place ahead of a team from the Boys and Girls Club.

“It’s going to be yearly, but this is the first time we’ve done it,” said Zach Turner, the chapter’s president and a KU junior from Wichita.

The chapter donated $200, and donations accepted during the show helped raise another $150 for the club’s after-school programs. Next fall, the club will lose about 20 percent of its budget after one grant’s depletion.

Club staff members and volunteers are working to raise funds and make some cuts to try to keep the nine after-school programs that serve about 800 to 900 students with tutoring and other programs.

The Pinckney Elementary School Step team celebrates after winning first annual contest sponsored by the Kansas University chapter of the Kappa Alpha Pis Fraternity. The Friday night event benefiting the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club was held at the auditorium of Central Junior High.

“Any kind of fundraiser is good for us, especially one that gets the kids involved,” said Monica Dittmer, a program manager at Pinckney.

“I don’t want to see any sites closed down or anybody fired or hurt the program in any way,” said Turner, who also volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club.

The philanthropic event was the first for the fraternity since it was reinstated in March after a two-year suspension. Famous chapter alumni include NFL Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers and basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain.

The fraternity’s five members also performed their own step show for the parents and children at the fundraiser Friday night.