By Madalynn Rocha
The Leukemia Lymphoma Society(LLS) is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and money for patients affected by cancer, patients’ families, and research. The LLS chooses students from all throughout the Central Valley based on the leadership skills they demonstrate. I was lucky enough to be nominated as the LLS Student Of the Year, which means I will compete to raise the most awareness and money for LLS.
In order to raise money, I was hoping to have different fundraisers through Minarets. My first idea is to have an assembly to get the student body’s attention. My wish is that the Minarets staff will agree to wacky, crazy dares if the student body raises enough money. So if one teacher agrees to three or four days ranging from fifty to two hundred dollars then we, as a school, can raise approximately $4,600 or even more! Along with a student-teacher dare fundraiser, I hope to host a jog-a-thon. Much like the ones we use to run as elementary students, students will get donations from friends and family to run a certain amount of laps.
My biggest goal throughout this competition is to raise awareness. Cancer is not a picky disease; it will destroy the life of anyone. From newborns, to parents, to best friends, and so on. The only way to help fight this awful disease is to help raise money for scientists to make new medicines and chemo therapies. People tend to not take action in causes like the LLS because they assume someone somewhere will take the first step. But if that’s the mindset of everyone, then no one will step up. Be the change you want to see happen, because without you nothing will ever change. Someday is today.