Facebook Campaign Supports Oceanport Resident Battling Cancer

In this Brave New World where the Internet is the new bathroom wall of the world, open to whatever musings you aren't brave enough to say to people's faces, it's nice when you see its users behaving admirably.

Such is the case at Rumson-Fair Haven High School where we hear a student has started a Facebook page in support of a beloved teacher, who lives in Oceanport, battling it out with breast cancer.

According to a tip from mom Patricia Phelan Clapp, students at the school started the page on Monday with a goal of getting 1,000 likes in support of their teacher Julie Vaccarelli.

"This is going to be a way to show their love and continue to share inspirational messages for her while she undergoes treatment," Clapp told Patch in an e-mail Monday.

The Facebook page, which you can view here, reads, "A support page for a great teacher at RFH. Stay strong Ms. Vac♥" 

Ms. Vaccarelli is a math teacher at RFH. At 10:15 p.m. on Monday night the page already has 470 likes. When we checked it again 10 minutes later the count was up to 490.

Already students and community members were posting encouraging notes and prayers. Maria Chiaravalle Maita wrote: The Maita kids BULLDOGS past, present and future are praying for you. Chris Saporito wrote: She might have Long Branch roots but she's a Bulldog at heart! Come on Vac, you got this ♥ -The Saporito's

Clapp said that a student told her thatMs. Vac is an unbelievable field hockey coach and teaches all the girls to persevere and endure.

"It is humbling," she said, "and makes me emotional to see how fast the kids reacted to hearing the news today about Ms.V."