All For One and One For All!

Hannah Schneiderman, 18, of Grayslake Central's Public Service Practicum class, started an all-school presentation by speaking from the heart about how her dad had been diagnosed with cancer. Her presentataion had the audience of over 300 normally rambuncous teens riveted.

She then shared the good news that her dad is now in remission and is back to normal. But the news isn't always so good, especially for kids with cancer. That's why there is the need for the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives, according to their website.

Schneiderman said that in 2010, 10,700 kids were diagnosed with cancer. That’s 33 times the amount of kids who were in the theater for the presentation. She pointed out that 1 in 5 died. The room went silent.

The goal was set to raise $3,000 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation by the end of February--the challenge thrown down during the Jan. 31 presentation.

The District 127 fund-raiser is called Project ONE-27. It was designed to unite the two Grayslake high schools. This was not to be North versus Central, but rather, one school district united to make finding a cure for childhood cancer a reality.

Events will be held this week at each school to cap off the fund-raisers:

• Grayslake North High School-- Thursday, Feb. 24 from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Grayslake Central High School-- Saturday Feb. 26 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Students created and initiatied fund-raising activities over 27 days to collect donations for Project ONE-27.

A wide variety of activities were held at both high schools to raise funds. At Central, the Latino Club held a bake sale, PSP sold giant cans of Arizona Ice Tea to fellow students, held donut sales, sold ceiling handprints, sponsored Senior Auctions, sucker sales and held a version of the television show Minute To Win It.

Last week, there was board game night. Friday, there was a 12-hour Theater Fest. Saturday, there was a 1:00 Call of Duty Tournament (just the most popular video game ever invented in case you’re just now joining the 21st Century!) and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. On Feb. 23, the movie Inception will be shown for a small admission/donation. On Feb. 23 and 24, the Best Buddies Club will hold a bake sale. On Feb. 25, the PRISM club will sell ice cream floats.

The month of fund-raising will culminate with a carnival held at Central High School from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26. There will be games and activities for all ages. The band Exit2Enter, composed of Grayslake high school students and with an extensive record of live shows and radio appearances, will provide live music from 8 to 9 p.m. A hypnotist will also be performing. There will be an auction from 9:15 to 10 p.m. - more details to follow later. For the closing event, to raise more money for the cause, people will get their heads shaved.

I will be one of them. I have volunteered to have my head shaved. I will also donate my check for writing this article to St. Baldrick’s Foundation and my editor, Marcia Sagendorph, has graciously agreed to match it with a donation out of her own pocket.

If you want to make a contribution to The St. Baldrick’s Foundation as I lose my once thick mane of hair for this great cause, please send me an email to webeherenow@sbcglobal.net.

I was very impressed by the entire presentation at Grayslake Central. It made me realize that the kids in our community can do great things far beyond random acts of kindness.

The dedicated group of students from the Grayslake Central PSP class created, organized and implemented a 30-minute assembly for each of the grade levels in the school’s auditorium to explain Project ONE-27 and The St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

The presentation at Central was led by Schneiderman and five other girls, all seniors in Grayslake Central's Public Service Practicum class: Katherine Boos, 18; Hannah Isosaki, 17; Cassidy Obis, 18; Karina Cordova, 18; and Abby Nieman, 18.

All of the students were impressive, and quickly got behind the idea of helping others. All they need is the opportunity, the support and the guidance of great teachers and school officials like Dustin Chierico, Adrijana Bisevac and Chris Kubic.

Of course none of this would be possible without the positive backing and encouragement of the administrative teams at both of our high schools led by Central’s Syd Klocke and North’s Scott Fech, as well as Superintendent Catherine Finger.

At the end of the presentation by the PSP crew, Greg Koeppen, executive director of the Lake County Farm Bureau spoke about his involvement with The St. Baldrick’s Foundation and his deep appreciation of the students' efforts to help such a worthy cause.

Chierico, head of the PSP class, was also impressed with the students.

"The kids we have in charge of this are amazing," Chierico said.  They put together the entire assembly and ran it by themselves. They are organizing activities and getting the word out. They are actively engaging the student body in the project. I can’t say enough about these kids."

THIS WEEK: An interview with PSP instructor Chris Kubic and his students at Grayslake North who will discuss what they are doing to raise funds for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.