Students reveal BuckeyeThon's total fundraised amount of more than $1.23 million during the annual dance marathon's closing ceremonies on Feb. 7 at the Ohio Union. The total shattered the organization's goal of $1 million to donate toward fighting pediatric cancer at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Credit: Mark Batke / Photo editor

Students reveal BuckeyeThon’s total fundraised amount of more than $1.23 million during the annual dance marathon’s closing ceremonies on Feb. 7 at the Ohio Union. The total shattered the organization’s goal of $1 million to donate toward fighting pediatric cancer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Credit: Mark Batke / Photo editor

The roar of the crowd, dressed in a rainbow of tie-dyed neon shirts, reached a fever pitch as the digits making up this year’s BuckeyeThon donation amount were revealed, one by one, Saturday night in the Ohio Union.

Students participating in Ohio State’s 2015 BuckeyeThon dance marathon this weekend exceeded their goal of collecting $1 million in donations, raising a total of $1,231,290.11.

More than 5,100 students registered for the 24-hour dance marathon, which began Friday and concluded with the closing ceremony and donation reveal on Saturday. This was BuckeyeThon’s 14th dance marathon.

“This is an amazing experience. You have decided to be the best that you can be,” said Javaune Adams-Gaston, vice president of Student Life, at the closing ceremony. “You didn’t have to have this matter, but you have shown us over and over again your commitment and the power you have to make a change.”

At last year’s BuckeyeThon dance marathon, approximately 3,000 participants raised more than $767,000.

The funds raised by dancers, virtual dancers and volunteers will go toward assisting families pay for their children’s medical treatments. The money will also be used to purchase items for the Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Department at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which is part of the Children’s Miracle Network, according to the BuckeyeThon website.

In addition to the annual dance marathon, BuckeyeThon, an OSU student organization, hosts events throughout the year that raise money for the families of children treated at the hospital.

Leo de Andrade, a second-year in computer science who was dancing on behalf of Off The Lake Productions, a student-run musical theater group at OSU, said he had been optimistic that the $1 million goal would be reached this year.

“I honestly thought (we would beat the goal), but not by so much,” he said.

De Andrade said he hopes to continue to donate more and participate next year.