D228 FCCLA Students Hold Skate-a-Thon to Raise Money for JDRF

On March 24, 2016 all four Family Career & Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) classes within Bremen High School District 228 came together for one cause, to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF. Each student raised fifty dollars in pledge money in order to attend a district wide skate-a-thon. Overall, the students raised $4,032! Students were given a shirt, lunch and a skate party for the day. The idea of this fundraiser came from Bremen High School’s FCCLA teacher Tanya Mack’s young niece Payton. Payton is a three year old that was recently diagnosed with type one diabetes. “I had been sharing with my class the turmoil and changes that she and her family were going through to adjust to her new normal,” said Mack. The students came up with the idea to invite Bremen High students that also had T1D to the skate-a-thon. “My favorite part of the skate-a-thon was when Payton was able to meet the high school students with T1D; they showed her their pumps and she showed them hers. She lit up and was very excited they were just like her. I was so proud of my students for embracing a cause that is near and dear to my heart,” said Mack. In the month of April, Bremen will host a diabetes awareness week. Their goal is to have everyone in the school learn one more fact about this disease that they hadn’t know prior to the awareness week. The students will also be selling shirts for eight dollars with 100% of the proceeds going directly to JDRF. For more information about FCCLA at Bremen High School contact FCCLA Teacher Mrs. Tanya Mack at Tmack@bhsd228.com.