Teachers at Nolley Elementary School, who have been personally touched by cancer, decided to take Relay For Life to their students. Evelyn Duve, a primary intervention specialist and third grade teacher Shari Gardner, wanted their students to help in the fight against the disease.
“For a long time, I have been doing Relay For life with Green Relays,” Duve saId. “We have had a team of teachers raise money, but for the last five years, Shari and I have been running what we call a mini-relay.”
Team Nolley consists of all elementary school students ranging from Kindergarten through the fourth grade.
“We just decided we would include the whole school,” Duve said. “Students and teachers walk an entire school day, during the last week of school, for cancer.”
The group of students and teachers were dedicated to reach a goal of $5,000 a year.
“Last year, we raised over $6000 and this year we raised $5,200. We have raised over $25,000 in five years,” Duve said.
The school begins their fundraising for Relay at the beginning of the school year. Funny hat day, teacher jean day, slipper day, movie night at the school and ugly sweater contest are a some of the creative ideas teachers have come up with to raise money.
“Ugliest sweater day was fun,” Duve laughed. “Kids brought in money to vote for the teacher with the ugliest sweater. All the money brought in by kids was donated directly to Relay, but the teacher who won got a gift card to Kohl’s to buy a nice sweater.”
Kids are energized by contributing with their own fundraising ideas.
“One class made cookbooks and sold them to their parents. All the money raised went to Relay,” Duve said. “One class decided to, instead of having a gift exchange at Christmas time, they took their money for gifts and gave it to Relay For Life.”
The fundraising events that take place throughout the year, build up to the school’s mini relay. Students turn in names of family and friends who are personally surviving cancer.
Those individuals are invited to the end of the year event. Survivors and their student are brought to the Manchester track to walk the Survivors lap while the entire school cheers them on. Teachers who are also survivors participate in the lap.
Each survivor takes home a homemade necklace made specifically for them with the year and the words Relay for Life written on it.
“We play Celebrate while the survivors do their lap. It is really good for the kids to see this,” Duve stated. “After that, each grade takes a lap.”
The rest of the day is spent with classes taking turns walking. The track is never unattended. Parents are invited to walk with their students during their allotted time.
“We are trying to simulate the real Relay for them,” Duve explained. “At the end of the day, we announce the amount we have raised.”
The school’s principal, Christi Pappas, had to dress up as Hannah Montana and dance to her music, on the last day of school, as a reward for reaching their goal amount. “The kids stopped and danced with her. It was a real treat for them,” Duve stated.
“I am so glad the students get to be a part of this,” Duve said. “Shari’s dad and brother are survivors and I had a dad who passed away from cancer and a mom who is a survivor.”
Donations can still be made directly to the American Cancer Society at 525 North Broad Street, Canfield, Ohio 44406 with attention made to Beth Jarold/Green Relay. Phone number is 888-227-6446.
