World Academy Students Raise Thousands Through Their St. Jude Children's Cancer Hospital Math-A-Thon

In March, students at World Academy – an innovative private school located in Nashua – raised nearly $8,000 during the St. Jude Children’s Hospital Math-a-Thon. Over the past 11 years, World Academy students have raised more than $41,000 during this annual fundraiser. The money raised is used to fund cancer research and the treatment and care of children with cancer.

For more than 35 years, the St. Jude Math-A-Thon has been America’s largest education-based fundraiser. The Math-A-Thon relies on innovative gamification that connects fun mathematical activities with fundraising for cancer research and to financially support the families of children diagnosed with the disease.

To participate, students first watch the St. Jude Math-A-Thon DVD and take home the Sponsorship envelope and ask family and friends to sponsor them to solve math problems in the St. Jude Math-A-Thon Funbook. Each student – with signed parental consent – is provided a personal fundraising web page to send emails to family and friends to ask for donations and thank those who donate. The page also tracks the money that has been earned, so each student can track his or her progress throughout the fundraiser.

Erin Seguin, a World Academy Kindergarten Teacher and Program Coordinator for the fundraiser, notes, “Our students are incredibly dedicated and involved with this fundraiser. Even though some students may not fully grasp the implications of a cancer diagnosis, most students seem to understand that they are helping out other kids just like them. One Fourth Grade student even raised over $600! They just want to help any way that they can, and this fundraiser provides the perfect opportunity for them to do that.”

After the fundraiser concluded, Seguin was provided with a rundown of how the funds raised by World Academy students – totaling $7,705.15 – would be allocated, ranging from supporting the cost of ultrasounds to chemotherapy treatments.

“We can’t thank our families enough for modeling the spirit of caring for our students,” adds Kathy Nelson, Head of School at World Academy. “It starts with the parents. Without their help and support, this fundraiser would be impossible. With so much depending on the success of this fundraiser, our students are taking that example to accomplish amazing things for future cancer research and treatment.”

For more information about the annual St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Math-A-Thon, go to http://www.mathathon.org/about/index.shtml.

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About St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since opening more than 50 years ago. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

About World Academy:

Located at 138 Spit Brook Road in Nashua, New Hampshire, World Academy offers a 21st century approach to education that fosters a love of learning for children aged 6 weeks through Grade Eight. The 55,000 square-foot campus features specialized wings for Nursery, Preschool, Elementary and Middle School; three age-appropriate playgrounds; 2 in-ground swimming pools; an interactive environment and innovative program for all ages and stages and much more. For more information about the school, contact Samantha Bonenfant, Director of Admissions at 603-888-1982 or visit www.WorldAcademyNH.com. Follow World Academy on Facebook at facebook.com/WorldAcademyNH.