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B-A students prepare for Mini-THON event

Courtesy photo / Children partake in a Mini-THON activity. Bellwood-Antis High School students will be among 90,000 participants across the country trying to raise funds to help conquer childhood cancer.

BELLWOOD — Bellwood-Antis students are among 90,000 students across the country trying to help conquer childhood cancer.

Bellwood-Antis High School will hold its third annual Mini-THON from 1:15 to 9 p.m. Feb. 28 at the high school.

The Mini-THON is the high school version of Penn State’s THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

Through various activities and one large whole-school event, students work to raise money for Four Diamonds, an organization that works to combat childhood cancer.

Dollars raised by Bellwood-Antis High School Mini-THON 2020 support some of the latest breakthroughs in childhood cancer research. Having a better understanding of how cancer works will help Four Diamonds’ researchers develop new, more effective treatments to test through clinical trials and save more lives, according to the Four Diamonds website.

Numerous activities will be held throughout the day.

After school dismissal at 3 p.m., there will be a community hour where parents and community members can visit the event and bid on basket raffles. A dance will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. About 10 p.m. the student Mini-THON Committee will reveal the amount of money raised.

Bellwood-Antis Mini-THON came to life after a student suggestion in 2017, said Brandon Stewart, BAHS special education teacher and Aevidum Club co-adviser.

“In our first year, we did a few fundraising activities and raised $700. After our community was impacted by a student with pediatric cancer, the students were inspired to make more of a difference. In 2018, that evolved into several fundraising projects and a large whole-school event, raising almost $13,000. Last school year, students worked and raised another $25,000,” Stewart said. “Our goal this year is to beat last year’s total.”

The Aevidum Club, a student-run organization, has been involved with Mini-THON since it began.

The goal is to get as many students involved as possible.

“We try to involve the entire school, usually with about 150 high school students participating. Middle school and elementary school students also help raise money through various events during the school year. There is an ‘elementary hour’ during our Mini-THON event where students in third and fourth grades come up to participate in fun games,” Stewart said. “All students in grades nine through 12 are invited to raise funds online.”

Money is raised through many different events such as canning, candy fundraisers, movie nights at the high school, a car wash and soliciting local businesses.

“We even have a ‘stall day’ where first period teachers cannot start class until they finish counting the change that students bring in. Local businesses have supported us both financially and by offering items for basket auctions and food items for our Mini-THON event,” Stewart said.

Bellwood-Antis students are excited to participate in the event.

“Mini-THON is an amazing organization to be a part of. I’ve never seen our student body get more involved and excited about anything else. It is incredible how far we’ve come over the past two years, and there is no doubt in my mind that we are going to continue to grow. I’m so proud to say that I am a part of the Bellwood community,”said Olivia Musselman.

“Mini-THON is not just an activity or club. It’s the desire to push for something greater; for your school, for your community and especially for the kids. So it’s amazing to see how many kids come out and support each year at our school and even at many other schools. We are very appreciative of what Mini-THON has built up over the years. I am personally very proud and honored to have watched it grow since the beginning,” said Corbin Nale.

Sasha Neyman said Mini-THON is important for two reasons.

“One is to raise money for kids that are fighting for their lives and the second is to create an amazing event that brings not only the high school but the community together. Mini-THON is not just for the theater kids or the jocks, but for everyone. We are all coming together to fight for a cure. In the end it’s all for the kids,” Neyman said.

Participation in the event is beneficial to the students.

“I believe that the biggest benefit of this event is that everyone can play a role in the success, whether it be from a leadership standpoint or simply a fundraiser and participant. Our students get the awesome opportunity to meet families who have been supported by the Four Diamonds. This makes the event more relevant because they see that the hard work and funds that they raise go to support families who have been affected by childhood cancer,” said Richard Schreier, high school principal.

Schreier said he is proud of the student body.

“Childhood cancer has affected our community more than once, so the students are motivated and determined to do something to help. Specifically, the leadership group each year is impressive. Their ideas are innovative, bold and achievable. I love seeing the community of our student body on the day of the event. There are so many events for the students to engage in, they really have a great time together. It is a fun day and evening,” Schreier said.

Stewart and Aevidum Club co-adviser Matthew McNaul, BAHS social studies teacher, are pleased to see the students take part in the event.

“I like to see the students take leadership roles and watch themselves succeed in doing something positive,” McNaul said.

“It is awesome to watch students work together and come up with creative ways to help this organization on their mission to conquer childhood cancer,” Stewart said.

The link to donate is https://fourdiamonds.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donate.event&eventID=2717

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