Upper St. Clair High School Mini-THON To Aid Cancer Victims

UPPER ST. CLAIR, PA - Upper St. Clair High School students will dance the night away Friday during the school’s second annual 12-hour Mini-THON. The event, which begins at 6 p.m. will raise money for Four Diamonds, an organization that assists children who are battling cancer and their families at Penn State Health Children's Hospital in Hershey.

The event is a student-led initiative under the leadership of an all-student executive board that includes seniors Jack de la Parra, Andrea Mays, Rayna Recht and Brady Warmbein. More than 50 Upper St. Clair High School students are involved in planning the event, and activities coordinator Brooke Tarcson, activities coordinator, serves as advisor and faculty liaison.

Upper St. Clair High School kicked off its five-month campaign to raise $30,000 for Four Diamonds in the fall. To date, more than $13,000 has been raised from several events and initiatives.

Mini-THON participants hope much more will be raised this week and created created a website – www.uscminithon.com – that offers donors the opportunity to make a contribution online. All they have to do is select “Donate To This Event” to support Upper St. Clair High School’s Mini-THON.

"Mini-THON allows students to leave an impact on our school and community that will be felt for years to come,” said Mays, the event planning chairperson.“All students who take part can feel what a difference they are making and can take this experience with them once they leave Upper St. Clair."

In addition to the Mini-THON, students, parents, staff members and community members are welcome during Community Time from 6:30-9 p.m. at the high school. Admission is free, though tickets can be purchased for various family-friendly games and activities sponsored by high school clubs and athletic teams. Refreshments and Mini-THON T-shirts will also be for sale.

The event will feature a raffle table offering the opportunity to win gift cards and other prizes. Penn State’s Creamery will be on-site with its “Rolling Cones” ice cream truck. In addition, food items from local restaurants as well as baked goods will be available at the concession stand.

“The goal of Community Time is to reach out to everyone about our fundraiser,” said de la Parra, Community Time chairperson, said. “Although Mini-THON is an all-night dance marathon for high schoolers at USCHS, we want to include the rest of the community members – welcoming families, teachers and students at other schools to come see what we’ve been working on all year.”

Photo via Upper St. Clair School District.