Hatboro-Horsham Graduate Awarded For Show Of Strength

HATBORO / HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —A recent Hatboro-Horsham High School graduate has shown strength and now she's earned Strength.

Four Diamonds Mini-THON recognized Taylor Hagenkotter, an alumna of Hatboro-Horsham High School Class of 2023, with its Strength award.

Hagenkotter, who is a member of the 2022-2023 Mini-THON Student Leadership Council, was given this award for her determination, collaboration, inclusion, and teamwork at the 2023 Mini-THON Leadership Summit in Hershey last month.

Along with the recognition, Four Diamonds awarded a $500 credit to Hatboro-Horsham’s 2023-2024 Mini-THON.

“For me, winning the Strength award means that all of my determination to raise money for
pediatric cancer was recognized,” Hagenkotter said. “Winning this award was something that
not only recognized my own efforts, but also the efforts of the Mini-THON leaders, members,
teachers and faculty, and the student body of the high school and Keith Valley.”

Due to COVID restrictions, the 2022-2023 school year was the first year since the pandemic
that students could really push for fundraisers.

"This year was the first year that we even came close to the record of $26,172 that was set in
2019,” Hagenkotter said. “We were able to raise $35,070.32, which was a new record for
Hatboro-Horsham Mini-THON.”

Hagenkotter and six other Hatboro-Horsham students joined more than 500 student leaders and
advisors for the annual Mini-THON Leadership Summit to share best practices and ideas,
celebrate successes, and inspire each other to continue to fight to conquer childhood cancer
through their school’s Mini-THON programs.

Hagenkotter had the opportunity to present with junior Allie Thompson, who is the 2024 Mini-THON Overall. They presented all of the fundraisers that the Hatboro-Horsham School District completed for the 2022-2023 school year to make Mini-THON a success.

“I also enjoyed and was inspired by the other award winners, other leaders that I talked to, and
especially the Four Diamonds family speakers,” she said. “When the Four Diamonds family
speakers were talking about their personal experiences with their children battling cancer, it was
really eye-opening since it’s not something that you get to hear of often.”

Mini-THONs are modeled after the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, or THON,
the world’s largest student-run philanthropy.

Since 1993, Mini-THON has raised more than $64 million.

The funds raised are used to drive the discovery of new and improved treatments and cures for childhood cancer to help kids around the world. Four Diamonds also supports families by covering all medical expenses not paid for by insurance for every eligible child, regardless of income.

At the Summit, students revealed that $6.2 million was raised by more than 200 schools to help
conquer childhood cancer in the 2022-2023 school year.

Hagenkotter is currently a freshman at Penn State, working towards a major in chemistry and a
minor in biology on the Pre-MED track.

“My goal is to go to med school to work in pediatric oncology or enter pediatric cancer
research,” she said. “I am also getting involved with THON this year to continue raising money
and awareness for pediatric cancer.”

While Hagenkotter continues THON at Penn State, she is excited to watch Hatboro-Horsham’s
new Mini-THON team continue to fundraise and break school records.

Click here to learn more about Hatboro-Horsham High School’s Mini-THON.