Sports, clubs, and classes are all uniting to spread awareness and fundraise through several student led events, now that the school has chosen Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as their newly sponsored organization.
This year, the school switched from focusing their fundraising efforts toward breast cancer awareness to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, commonly referred to as JDRF.
“There’s a good amount of students in the school that have juveniles diabetes type one, so that was a big reason we chose JDRF; we realized it affects a lot of the student body,” said athletics administrative assistant Lori DeFiore.
Students have led the school efforts toward JDRF through school-wide events involving all students and faculty. These include the “Blue Out,” door decorating, and selling t-shirts.
“The purpose of selling the shirts is to raise awareness for JDRF and to make Type One, Type None. We have sold over 65 shirts, so that’s over $500 worth going to JDRF,” said senior Drake Isaacs.
There will be blue themed basketball games, also known as a “Blue Out,” on December 2 for the girls team and February 17 for the boys team. Students, fans, and players will all be sporting blue show their support for the foundation. The student leaders find it necessary that the school, as a whole, must come together to support JDRF and fight diabetes.
“Leading JDRF is important to show everyone that we are “U-Knighted” to find a cure for diabetes. It is important, not just to me, but to other people from this school who have family members or friends with type 1 diabetes,” Isaacs said.
Everyone involved within the recent efforts and events encourage other people and groups to get involved as well.
“We are hoping more clubs and teams latch on and try to do something [for JDRF]. We are open to ideas if anyone wants to share, or if they have a club or team or groups that want to help,” said activities director Tina Woolard.
Fundraising and spreading awareness for JDRF will continue throughout the school year with many more events and ideas underway.
“We are also putting a donation jar by the concessions during basketball games. Poms will be using blue poms-poms as well during the blue out game,” DeFiore said.
The school looks forward to continuing their fight with JDRF against juvenile diabetes with future events.