In the 2023-2024 school year at Oakdale High School, Shriavantika Selvakumar started the For the Kids® club by reaching out to Four Diamonds to support pediatric cancer, along with Mrs. Holly Brewer as the teacher advisor.
The Four Diamonds organization, which was founded by Charles Millard and his wife, Irma, is a cancer treatment center, which partners with PennState Health. The money raised by THON® events covers the costs that the families of Four Diamonds face when being treated at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. Not only does the organization care for the kids treated at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and their families, but it also supports cancer research and treatments.
The first For the Kids: Mini-THON® club meeting was on Friday, September 22, 2023. At this meeting, the members discussed the club’s purpose, along with the officer positions and their roles. They also made a group chat for communication and a list for fundraisers.
The club will have different leadership positions that will administer various roles. The committees will introduce ideas for fundraisers, recruit student participants, organize the fundraisers, and supervise finances. Every member is able to choose what committee they want to be involved in, and any student can participate in fundraisers. Students can receive service hours for participation whether they are part of the club or not.
The club’s goal is to raise money for pediatric cancer. The Mini-THON® club is a program organized by K-12 students at schools in Pennsylvania and nearby states. This program is modeled after the dance marathon (THON®) at Penn State.
They will raise money through fundraisers, and the money raised will be used to organize a bigger event at the end of the school year. The final event is the actual Mini-THON®, which will include music, dancing, games, and merchandise to buy.
Matthew Lorenzo, the Maryland liaison of Mini-THON®, is the connection between the organization and the schools that support Four Diamonds through Mini-THON® clubs. As the liaison, Lorenzo assists schools and student leaders in fundraising and event planning.
Lorenzo believes that every student can grasp something different from the experience. With involvement in Four Diamonds and Mini-THON®, it is common to gain a sense of how anyone can make a difference; it is an opportunity to grow school community and spirit, as well as leadership skills. Lorenzo also said, “seeing the impact we have on the lives of not just the kiddos but the whole family is incredible, and the work on research the Doctors are doing never ceases to amaze me.” Four Diamonds has a great impact on much more than the patients, and this inspired him.
When asked what inspired her to start the club, Selvakumar brought up the comparison she made with her life and the life of a cancer patient. She explained, “5 year olds have to take chemotherapy, and are struggling to live, and I’m here crying over a test. I just wanna help them not have to face it again” She thinks that the comparison makes her struggles feel insignificant.
Mrs. Brewer also wanted to help the children and their families through the organization of the club in OHS by becoming teacher advisor. She felt especially connected to the cause because she is a Penn State graduate.
Mrs. Brewer plans to guide the students while also giving them the majority of the responsibility. “My plan is to be kind of an extra person to guide the way, but to let the students really do most of the work. It’s a great learning experience to organize, and I am just going to be there as the support system. I’ll also work with the finances,” she shared. She wants the students to learn organization and leadership, while also letting them feel like it’s their club.
So far, both Selvakumar and Mrs. Brewer feel like the For the Kids® club is on the right track. With the officer positions to be determined, they will soon start organizing their first event. While the club is happening in OHS, it is connected to the very impactful Four Diamonds organization. There is no doubt that the club will help make a change, and it is never too late to join and help.
