Students more than triple their original fundraising goal
KENNETT SQUARE – Approximately 170 KHS students stayed on their feet from 10 PM Friday, February 26 to 6 AM Saturday morning for Mini-THON, an event to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund to benefit pediatric cancer research and families whose children are battling the disease. Organizers for the event set a first-year fundraising goal of $5,000. Thanks to students’ hard work and the kindness of the Kennett community, Mini-THON raised $16,644, more than tripling the amount of the original goal
Sitting down for the first time in 8 hours, KHS Mini-THONers raised $16,644; more than three times their original $5,000 goal.
Modeled after Penn State’s Dance Marathon (THON), Kennett High School’s Mini-THON featured eight hours packed with fun activities for participants. Students enjoyed Zumba, yoga, line dancing, basketball, dodgeball, floor hockey, and soccer. They were entertained by Teacher Band, KHS’s faculty band, and two student bands, Californium and Seeking Asylum. Students danced to music selected by student DJs, battled each other in a lip sync contest, and raced scooters across the gym, all while taking regular breaks to feast on a variety of pizzas, sandwiches, quesadillas, pastas, fresh fruit and vegetables, and baked goods generously donated by local merchants.
Gemma Erickson, a Kennett junior, raised $1,100 and earned herself the top fundraising prize of a 55-inch flat screen Smart TV.
When asked what motivated her to raise such an impressive total, Gemma said, “I wanted to help kids. Plus, a lot of my family has attended Penn State, and some of my cousins have danced in THON, so it really meant something to me.” And, as for her prize TV? “The whole family is using it,” she said.
Casey Bruno and Molly Adelman inspiring the participants.
Faculty advisors for the event were Lisa Teixeira, KHS librarian and Humanitarian Club moderator; Erin McDonnell-Jones, English teacher; and Tom Brientnall, social studies teacher. Both McDonnell-Jones and Brientnall are Penn State graduates and former THON participants. Student organizers were led by senior Sean Connolly and junior Austin Maxwell, event co-chairs, along with seniors Zoe Livingston and Bridget Fox, Humanitarian Club Co-Presidents.
“The kids did an amazing job, especially for the first time through organizing an event of this magnitude. They all demonstrated leadership, compassion, and cooperation,” said Teixeira.
Donations will be accepted through the end of March. Please see http://khsminithon.org, or call the school at 610-444-6617 for more information.
