By ADRIANA GUTH-BOROWSKI – On Friday, March 29, IHS students stood together at the 11th annual Mini-THON, an event that benefits children fighting pediatric cancer by donating to the Four Diamonds Foundation. At the end of the night, the grand total of $44,499.35 was revealed, setting a new IHS record.

The Four Diamonds Foundation goes to support the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. The donation made through IHS will go to aid children going through treatment, as well as research to advance treatment methods.

Students at Mini-THON stood for six consecutive hours without a break. “We stand to represent the kids’ struggle,” expressed senior co-chair of the event, Ella Spadafora. “The kids that are afflicted with cancer never get a break, they can’t just stop and ‘sit down’, and the families too, no one gets to rest. Standing for six hours is our way of representing that and trying to communicate that we are in this fight with them.”

Throughout the night students participated in fun head-to-head activities, including volleyball, relays, charades, and a tug of war. The teams united every hour to sing and dance to “The THON Song” which encouraged and energized the students.

 IHS leadership members, seniors Aaron Burkhart,  Mikail Bajwa, and sophomore Zach Eisenhower shaved their heads for the cause and two other students, senior Megan Hatfield and sophomore Adriana Guth-Borowski donated a length of their hair towards the cause.

Students were encouraged to reflect on the true meaning of the evening. Speakers came to share their personal experiences with cancer. A luminary walk showed students the community members who have been affected by cancer.

“This year was wonderful,” said Leadership Seminar and faculty adviser Devon Duffy. “Each year builds on the last, so each group and adds their own mark. This year, they added the tree ceremony after the luminary walk; they decorated the hallways and had a record number of haircuts.”

IHS leadership students began planning the event at the beginning of the school year. Ella Spadafora and Chase Cunningham were co-chairs of the event, and along with 22 other students, they were able to make the night a success. The Mini-THON was attended by over 270 students.

“In all honesty, I hadn’t expected to cry in the slightest, but as soon as the numbers came up, I think everyone felt such a rush of both adrenaline and emotion that all of us were sent into shock,” stated Leadership member Katie Conrad. “Everyone in Leadership put in so much work to get to this total. I think as soon as the numbers came up, it was a moment of clarity of just how much work we really did, because we don’t know the total going into it.”

[Photo By Chase Cunningham]

Photo Caption: “IHS Mini-THON attendants come together help children with pediatric cancer.”