JVS has a Heart of Gold

BLOOMINGDALE – The Jefferson County Joint Vocational School has proven it has a heart of gold when it comes to supporting kids with cancer.

Early childhood education students in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) organization highlighted Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month in September and earned $150 for the cause. ECE Instructor and FCCLA Adviser Amy Rusnak said members held presentations, decorated gold hearts, and collected money to benefit Whip Pediatric Cancer as part of their senior service project. Whip Pediatric Cancer is a nonprofit organization founded by a teenager to aid research and provide birthday boxes, personalized care packages and other supports for children and families impacted by the disease.

Students could pay a $5 donation and FCCLA members distributed gold hearts to decorate and fill with encouraging words, then they were displayed on a "Heart of Gold Wall" created near the main office. JVS seniors Lyla Navarro and Shaylee Faulkner helped organize activities, which also included daily announcements and presentations in the program labs during the week of Sept. 21-25.

"I found Whip Pediatric Cancer online and all of the money goes to support pediatric cancer research," Rusnak said. "They send birthday boxes and things to make their days brighter. I like that it didn't have to be monetary and every student also participated by decorating gold hearts and placing them in front of the main office. The theme was 'JVS Has a Heart of Gold.'"

Navarro read a statement during the morning announcements that Monday and Principal Heather Hoover shared a fact about pediatric cancer with the school each day. Highlights included the color gold representing childhood cancer awareness; that one in 285 children are diagnosed with cancer before age 20; and Leukemia and brain tumors are among the most common childhood cancers. On Tuesday, several seniors led presentations and provided gold hearts to their schoolmates. They explained that childhood cancer affects thousands of children and families every year, while the sale of each heart helps make a difference and shows those affected that they are not alone. From Wednesday to Friday, the group manned a table in the commons during lunch and provided more gold hearts while collecting money for the cause.

Rusnak added that letters were also sent home to the parents of youngsters in the ECE preschool program so those students could participate. She said the project also hits close to home at the JVS.

"We have students who have a personal connection to pediatric cancer. We've collected over $100 for our first time and it is something that goes to Whip. I also created a JVS site so people could donate and decorate and display their hearts. I was glad that everyone could participate."

She hoped to make Whip Pediatric Cancer an annual project and her students were also glad to be involved.

"I thought it was very important and was glad we got the word out," said Navarro. "I hope doctors can develop a childhood cancer cure and find a treatment for kids."

"It was fun to spread awareness," said Faulkner. "We went to classrooms and talked to people, then decorated a table and gave out hearts. We made a sign with hearts of gold and there were hearts with QR codes to donate on the [Whip Pediatric Cancer] app."

"I enjoyed it," added senior Miley Hartman. "It was nice to spread awareness."