The “Stepping into Greatness” step show awarded $1,000 in prize money to both Zeta Phi Beta sorority and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity during the show on Saturday.

Alumni, parents and friends came together to support the various sororities and fraternities competing for first place.

Margery Scott, a sophomore family and consumer science major and member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, said the stepping team, which consisted of 13 women, started practicing early as 7 a.m., as well as working late into the night.

“It’s been eight years since we actually won a Homecoming step show,” Scott said. “We’re really humbled that we won the title and the prize.”

Scott said that coming together as a team proved challenging to the Zeta Phi Betas because of the different opinions and perspectives of the 20 sorority members.

Just a week before the “Stepping into Greatness” show, the Zeta Phi Betas had to rework their entire theme of the show from “flight attendants” to “police officers” because the sorority heard rumors that another sorority was going to use the same theme.

Scott said the $1,000 prize money is going toward scholarships and funding for Zeta Week, a week that the sorority sponsors campus-wide events.

Liz Mardis, a high school teacher from Chicago, came to the step show in order to support her daughter, Tayla Mardis, a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Delta Sigma Theta took home second place in the

competition.

“I wasn’t surprised they were enjoying it so much,” said Mardis about the active audience participation.

Will Barrett, a senior communication studies major and member of the Phi Theta Sigma fraternity, which came in second place, said the fraternity was practicing and coming up with ideas and concepts since the summer.

Barrett said while there were plenty of disagreements and arguments, there was just as much laughter and fun.

“At the end of the day we all came together like a family should,” he said.

Phi Theta Sigma, which won the step show last year, used elaborate clown costumes, strobe lighting and a big wooden jack-in-the-box into their step show.

Barrett said the costumes, lighting and props were the most enjoyable aspect of the show because of the opportunity to shock the campus.

“That’s the fun part because you get to express your creative side,” Barrett said.

Amber King, an alum of Eastern who graduated in 2010 with a degree in psychology, came back for Homecoming weekend to hang out with friends, who brought her to the step show.

King had no ties to any of the sororities or fraternities, but by the end of the night she said she was rooting for the Sigma Gamma Rhos, who finished in third place.

“I thought it was amazing,” King said. “It was really high energy and I appreciated it.”

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].