Avondale eighth-graders raise $2000 to help families of cancer victims

A group of Avondale Middle School students organized a fundraising effort that brought in over $2000 for the nonprofit group, Angels of Hope Cancer Foundation. The students, all eighth-graders in the school’s Leadership Class came up with the idea, developed a proposal and managed the activity as part of the requirements of the class. Avondale teacher, Scott Thornbro who teaches the course that asks students to identify an area where they can make a difference if they take action, was impressed with the group’s ability to mobilize the student body to collect so much money in such a short period. “It was a very simple concept but the students had to sell it to their classmates and that took some finesse that you don’t necessarily see at this age. That’s really the heart of Leadership Class. A lot of the students have to go way out of their comfort zone in order to see their ideas come to successful fruition. That’s how they hone their leadership skills though so we guide them through it and know that in the end they’ll have learned something about themselves.”

Kathryne Ball, one of the students who organized the Angels of Hope campaign, explained that they had the idea to ask each homeroom class to bring in donations and make it a competition between classes. A power point presentation that the group created was emailed to each teacher in the building who shared it with their class. In the presentation, the group explained the mission of Angels of Hope and provided opportunity for students to share how they would feel if someone in their family had cancer. They also listed some incentives for the class that raised the most money.

Ball, along with fellow event organizers, Haley Clark, Angela Milici, Niki Patel, Addison Rhodes and Mikayla Young, chose Angels of Hope as the place to make a difference because they were moved by the organization’s mission to help the families of children with cancer. According to Steve York, who serves as Angels of Hope treasurer and who came to the school to thank the students and receive the donations, the organization focuses on easing the financial strain that occurs when a family member is diagnosed with cancer. “Often times, things we don’t think about come up for families that effect their financial situation, things like a parent’s lost time at work, traveling expenses, and medical costs not covered by insurance,” he explained to the students. “Angels of Hope tries to help families with those things … you have helped a family with those things.”

York praised the students for making a difference in someone’s life and he urged them to continue helping others. “It doesn’t have to be Angels of Hope but find that thing that’s important to you and make it part of who you are.”

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