PV students raise $4,418.46 for the Four Diamonds Fund

The totals are in, and the Mini-Thon event hosted at Penn Valley Area Elementary and Intermediate School brought in $4,418.46 for the fight against pediatric cancer.

The event, held June 2, was spearheaded by two students — Maggie Delaney and Faith Wolfe — as part of a class project, inspired by Penn State’s IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

“Together they decided to create a Mini-Thon for their school to raise money for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State’s (Hershey) Children’s Hospital,” sixth-grade teacher Sharon Balban said in a statement. “Their focus question: How can we plan and design a Mini-Thon to help raise awareness for pediatric cancer?”

The students also presented a check last month to representatives from the Four Diamonds Fund at the school’s main office in Penn Township.

The Four Diamonds Fund helps financially assist children and families battling pediatric cancer.

“Whenever we started it, everyone was so excited and encouraged each other,” Faith Wolfe said. “This was a heartwarming experience.”

Balban said the girls researched how Penn State-Hershey Children’s Hospital used resources from Thon to help children and their families. They also learned about how the program uses funds to find a cure for pediatric cancer.

“With such a worthy cause and all of their research in place, the sixth-graders prepared a formal presentation to their peers,” Balban said. “Their peers were so excited and ready to get their Mini-Thon spirit on, that Maggie and Faith began to conduct meetings with their principal, Mrs. Danielle Yoder, and Thon coordinators.”

Students from the sixth-grade class participated in committees to help prepare for Mini-Thon by creating banners; making music playlists; choreographing dance moves; composing community business letters; calling business managers; and presenting to other classes.

Faculty and staff also joined, Balban said.

Mini-Thon at Penns Valley Area included dancers and craft designers.

“Faith and Maggie have placed a new bar for excellence in a Genius Hour project,” Balban said. “The impact on our students and the greater community was amazing.”

PVEI students also made crafts to give to the hospitalized children.

“It was really fun organizing it,” Maggie Delaney said. “At times it was stressful, but it was ‘for the kids’​ so we never gave up.”

This story was originally published July 10, 2017 at 12:41 AM with the headline "PV students raise $4,418.46 for the Four Diamonds Fund."