Members of the Union Middle School teaching staff Lip-Off group ‘Gettin’ Lippy With It’ including (l-r) Carly Selken, Dana Grassley Stone, Adrianne Slack, Ellie Uhlenhopp, and Julie Schmidt perform in the middle school auditorium as part of the Lip-Off Round 4 Finals on Monday, February 28, in Dysart. – Photo by Soren M. Peterson

It was synch or swim week at Union Middle School (UMS) on Monday morning as the final teams – The Goated Grotes, The Orangutans, Gangsta Girls, The Spore Bros, Kourni, Don’t Stop Believing Jimmy, Sisters from Different Misters, and Gettin’ Lippy With It – took to the auditorium stage as part of the school’s annual Lip-Off contest. This is the 12th year for the annual contest organized by teacher Laurie Driscol as an entertaining way to raise funds for an important cause. “[Lip-Off] started years ago when there was a terrible earthquake in Haiti,” Driscol said. “I wanted to do something to raise money to send to Haiti through the Red Cross. I had this crazy idea and a fantastic staff to make it happen.” Each year groups of performers – including students and staff – form lip-synching teams and compete against one another for votes in the form of donations, or “money-votes,” as Driscol calls it. The 2022 contest is raising funds for Tunnels to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the mission of honoring the sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City after running more than two miles through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and into the city with 60 pounds of gear strapped to his back. The organization facilitates several programs including building mortgage-free smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, as well as paying off the mortgages of fallen law enforcement officers and firefighters. Last year’s UMS Lip-Off contest raised $3,455.44 for cancer research and prevention. As of Monday, Feb. 28, this year’s contest has raised over $2,400 – surpassing the original $1,500 goal. Voting will continue through Friday morning of this week with the 2022 Lip-Off contest winner crowned midday.

Story update

“We had an incredibly successful Lip-Off for Tunnels to Towers contest!” Driscol wrote in an email sent to Union students and staff Friday afternoon. “The Gangsta Girls emerged as the Lip-Off Winner for 2022. We ended the morning with $4,249.77. … Mr. Slack challenged the students and staff to reach the $4,000-mark, and we exceeded that!”

Any further donations can be dropped off at UMS front office by Friday, March 11. The various performances for this year (or past years) can be viewed

Leaderboard Results:

Members of the Union Middle School Lip-Off Group ‘Gangsta Girls’ perform in the middle school auditorium as part of the Lip-Off Round 4 Finals on Monday, February 28, in Dysart. The group won the contest this year by earning the most “money-votes” for the nonprofit Tunnels to Towers. – Photo by Soren M. Peterson

#1 – The Gangsta Girls

#2 – The Orangutans

#3 – Don’t Stop Believing Jimmy

#4 – The Spore Bros

#5 – The Goated Grotes

Members of the Union Middle School Lip-Off Group ‘The Orangutans’ perform in the middle school auditorium as part of the Lip-Off Round 4 Finals on Monday, February 28, in Dysart. – Photo by Soren M. Peterson

#6 – Gettin’ Lippy With It

#7 – Kourni

#8 – Sisters From Different Misters

Lip-Off lip-synch contest organizer, Union Middle School teacher Laurie Driscol laughs at an audience member’s comment in the middle school auditorium in Dysart Monday morning during the 12th annual contest’s final round. – Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Members of the Union Middle School Lip-Off Group ‘The Spore Bros’ perform in the middle school auditorium as part of the Lip-Off Round 4 Finals on Monday, February 28, in Dysart. – Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Members of the Union Middle School Lip-Off Group ‘Don't Stop Believing Jimmy’ perform in the middle school auditorium as part of the Lip-Off Round 4 Finals on Monday, February 28, in Dysart. – Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Members of the Union Middle School Lip-Off Group ‘The Goated Grotes’ perform in the middle school auditorium as part of the Lip-Off Round 4 Finals on Monday, February 28, in Dysart. – Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Photo by Soren M. Peterson