It’s a bit of a leap, metaphorically and literally, from the C-suite at Commerce Bank to the dance floor of Cristo Rey KC’s Dancing with the Kansas City Stars, but Kevin Barth, CEO and tripper of the light fantastic, managed to make the leap with dedication, determination, and some serious style!
When Cristo Rey KC came calling and asked Kevin to be one of their dancing stars, he hesitated for a couple of reasons. He needed to learn more about the school, and he needed to brush up his dancing skills, or as he put it, “I had to take dancing lessons for weeks!” Kevin had attended the 2025 dancing gala as a guest, and while he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, he felt he needed to dig deeper into the mission and vision of the midtown school. As he accepted the challenge of dancing for a cause, he also visited the school and really became acquainted with the administration, the educators, and the students, themselves. He witnessed the dedication of the teachers and the kids and their ability to do hard things. He figured if they could commit to working so hard, he could, too.
The mission and vision he discovered are inspiring to not only Kevin, but so many others as well. Cristo Rey KC is an affordable, Catholic, college-preparatory high school committed to academic excellence for students of all faiths. It also provides career prep education, which is enhanced by an innovative corporate work study program to culturally diverse ambitious students with economic need. Every Cristo Rey KC student is required to participate in the Corporate Work Study Program in which students work in a professional setting one day a week. Students’ earnings from business partners contribute to a large portion of their tuition. With rigorous academics, a full student life, athletics, and the work-study program, Cristo Rey KC provides a crucial opportunity for students to learn and succeed.
As Kevin’s quest for, and achievement of, dancing skills grew, so did his appreciation for what the students go through. Dancers must be vulnerable and willing to take risks, just as the students are. A demonstration of commitment and an investment in the future is applicable to both, and not taken for granted by either. Kevin’s commitment was to be the best dancer he could be, while having a blast, and supporting the cause he had come to appreciate so deeply. While it was certainly fun at every turn and twirl, and rewarding to be a part of the celebration, Kevin’s true desire is for the people of Kansas City to become aware of the process at Cristo Rey KC.
The key to success for the students is the willingness of local businesses to open their hearts and doors to the kids in the work-study program. While Commerce Bank is now involved in the process and provides opportunities, Kevin’s wish is that more businesses, large and small, will make the offer to host Cristo Rey KC’s hardworking and dedicated students. Community involvement is key. Currently, 100 percent of students graduate with four years of work experience; 87 percent are first-generation high school graduates; and 60 percent of graduates remain enrolled in college. Cristo Rey students have worked approximately 54,600 hours over the past 14 years, and have earned over $800,000 towards the cost of their education.
Dancing with the Kansas City Stars has been around for 20 years, raising much-needed funds for the school, and the 2026 gala added $1.7 million to the impressive fundraising! Those kinds of dollars are found when participants get out of their comfort zones and take on challenges they didn’t think possible (just like the students). Not only are the students so grateful for the support, but the gala participants are so appreciative of the chance to really step up and make a difference by stretching their own abilities. Kevin encourages all of us to step up, step out, and take a risk to help a student understand that success in school is the same as success in life, it takes a dedicated village.
Featured in the September 19, 2026 issue of The Independent.
By Anne Potter Russ
