Schaumburg High tops in fundraising effort to fight childhood cancer
A group of Schaumburg High School students will travel to U.S. Cellular Field today as the leading fundraising team in a challenge mounted by Fox News Chicago to support the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
Schaumburg's students have collected more than $20,000 so far, already surpassing their goal of raising $19,000 before their shaving day on March 19. One faculty member working with them confidently predicts they will double that figure before they are done.
More than 50 Chicago and suburban schools signed onto the challenge, with the hopes of raising $3 million for pediatric cancer research, the major beneficiary of the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
Other area schools participating include Elk Grove and Hersey High schools, and Lincoln Middle School in Mount Prospect. However, their three totals combined don't come near the Schaumburg numbers.
"Schaumburg loves a challenge," quips Ginger Haas, the faculty moderator working with a core group of students who organized their school's first St. Baldrick's Day fundraiser.
Students started the idea in part to support a current student dealing with a recurrence of his rare form of cancer.
Junior John Knudson of Schaumburg was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma shortly before his freshman year. He underwent surgery to remove part of his fibula before enduring intense chemotherapy treatments leading to remission.
His cancer returned in December, resulting in a resumed course of chemotherapy that started this month. In the meantime, his classmates looked for a way to help.
"With St. Baldrick's Day, and shaving heads, we thought that would get our message across of our support," says senior Teresa Cotton of Schaumburg.
She was one of the first students to propose the idea, and then has worked steadily over the last month to promote the fundraiser to classmates and faculty, and sign up those willing to be shaved.
"At first, we set out trying to raise $5,000 as our goal," Cotton adds. "But within the first week, we raised $1,000 without having to do anything. We began to readjust our plans and set our sights higher."
Students have collected money from classmates in the halls, while clubs and faculty members have held private fundraising campaigns.
They will shave heads - more than 120 students and faculty have pledged already - throughout the day on March 19, then buzz the top administrators and the students who have brought in more than $1,000 each during an all-school assembly.
To contribute, visit: stbaldricks.org/events/SchaumburgHS.