School passes $100K mark in St. Jude funds Sandburg students have been helping children's hospital for 15 years BY MARLENE CANTY Staff Writer MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Gianna Conti, a sixth-grader at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Old Bridge, aims for the hoop during the Basketball-a-Thon Nov. 15 to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn. In a mammoth effort, Carl Sandburg Middle School students in Old Bridge have done it again. The sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders have raised a mint for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn., this year bringing in over $12,500 with a Basketball-a-Thon that marked the 15th annual fundraiser at the school. St. Jude Hospital is a treatment center and research facility for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. This year's event was a special one, as the school's 15-year grand total passed the $100,000 mark, going about $1,000 over that stated goal. "I think they outdid themselves," said physical education teacher and event coordinator Tammy Dragon, who came up with the idea of raising funds for St. Jude back in 1991. Dragon said she felt children would respond positively to the concept of collecting money to help youngsters with health problems and who were less fortunate than themselves, the idea of children helping children. MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Sixth-grader Nikolaus Remshifski fires away during last week's Basketball-a-Thon. Apparently, Dragon was right. Each year since 1991, the middle-schoolers have brought in donations in the form of sponsorships for an athletic event. Sponsors are only required to donate $1 for a youngster to participate. This year it was basketball, last year it was relay races, and the year before it was volleyball. Students are rewarded for their efforts with a series of prizes, such as a T-shirt, a free pass to Six Flags Great Adventure, or a gym bag for raising $35 or more in sponsorships. The homeroom class that raises the most money wins a pizza party. This year's student to raise the most money was Brandon Berasain, a sixth-grader who brought in $1,300. His prize was a digital camera. During the Basketball-a-Thon, Dragon divided children into eight teams that competed in a series of group activity sports like hot potato, group shoot and over-and-under. The event does not include an actual basketball game. Seventh-graders Tessa Urbank, Emily Slater and Kaitlyn Thomas said they had fun during the event, especially knowing it was for a good cause. "This was our second year raising funds for St. Jude," Emily said, noting that they had all participated in the Relay-a-Thon last year. "It gets you energized," Tessa added. "It's a fun activity and it's for a good cause." Kaitlyn said the event was important because the students are helping kids the same age who are ill and need their help and support. She felt good after finding sponsors to donate money, and also enjoyed participating in the sports event. Emily agreed. "Definitely, because you're raising money for kids with cancer, and also basketball is my favorite sport," she said. Dragon said she chose St. Jude Foundation not just because of the wonderful work they do for children diagnosed with cancer, but because the charity accepts children from all socioeconomic groups and every walk of life. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was started in 1962 by the late comedian Danny Thomas. Today, Thomas's daughter Marlo works with the foundation that has grown into a national organization. This year's total is the second highest ever raised by Sandburg Middle School. In 2004 the school raised $13,000 for St. Jude. Dragon said St. Jude will use the funds for both treatment and research of juvenile cancer patients. "I'm so proud of students, staff and sponsors for helping achieve this," Dragon said, noting that it took a team effort to make the activity such a success. Next year, Dragon plans to approach Jonas Salk Middle School and challenge them to a fun sports event to help raise even more funds for St. Jude.