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South Fayette mini-THON raises more than $192K
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Offering waffle bites are Jessica Slan, left, and Megan Gauger.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Rotary Club of Bridgeville-South Fayette members Judy Lorigan and Glenn Schello
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Tammy Kichta, left, and Elizabeth McKeever, a member of the honors management and marketing course, support the cause.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
From left, Lauren Bernett, Sara Teachout and Abbie Duncan sign a giant Mini-THON card.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Sydney Bair gives her arm some color.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Evelyn Miller colors a picture at a Mini-THON activity table.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
The mission of exceeding last year’s fundraising total of $142,000 was accomplished, to the tune of a 35 percent increase.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Dungeons and Dragons Club members Lauren Bloom, left, and Payton Blunkosky run an activity table at the Mini-THON.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Nova David and Lauren Arnowitt are members of the class that is responsible for the Mini-THON and its success.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Ella and Eli Purdy show the decorative balloons that were fashioned for them during the Mini-THON.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Probably to the dismay of dentists, serving cotton candy are, from left, Savannah Vetterly and Tianyi Li.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Grace Ainsworth looks as if she has an answer during a round of “name that tune,” an activity conducted by the high school’s UNESCO Club.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
From left, Chad Berner, Josh Milteer and Ryan Fleming at the disc jockey table
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Cece Gagliardino and Mattea Marrese display their dance moves in the South Fayette Township High School gymnasium.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
UNESCO Club members Kaithlyn Trinh, left, and Coco Kang conduct a game of “name that tune.”
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The goal of South Fayette Township High School’s Mini-THON 2019 was to beat last year’s fundraising total of $142,000.
When this year’s amount was revealed at the event’s conclusion at 6 a.m. April 13, it was a case of mission accomplished and much more.
The effort, spearheaded by students in the high school honors management and marketing course, brought in $192,246.63.
That brings the total for the seven years of the event at South Fayette to nearly $570,000, for the benefit of the nonprofit Four Diamonds and its mission to conquer childhood cancer.
South Fayette’s Mini-THON is based on the student-run THON at Penn State University. Penn State’s THON is the largest student-run philanthropy event in the world, which culminates each year with a dance marathon.
“We have to stand for 12 hours and pretty much dance the entire night,” South Fayette senior Nova David said, explaining why she wasn’t able to take a seat during the MINI-thon festivities in the high school gymnasium.
She is a student in the honors course that organizes the event each year.
“I’ve always wanted to go into business and I love the cause, so since my freshman year, I’ve always wanted to do it,” she said about choosing the class. “It’s a great hands-on experience and it really reflects business in the real world. I really enjoy that aspect of it.”
Classmate Lauren Arnowitt said South Fayette’s honors management and marketing course is one of her favorite classes as well.
“I’m actually able to do something with people that means something,” she said.
Business teacher Brandon Flannery is the instructor.
“The marketing class was actually designed to fund Mini-THON,” he said. “We thought we would sell sponsorship packages in an effort to cover the costs of Mini-THON.”
Eventually, the responsibilities evolved into planning and managing the event.
“It’s really those kids who put this together and make it run,” Flannery said.
The course incorporates project-based learning.
“First and foremost, they learn about teamwork and collaboration, and what it’s like to actually work alongside their peers as opposed to maybe competing with them,” Flannery said. “The grade really is secondary. These kids are far more focused on giving back and doing good. I think the results from the past kind of speak for themselves, but this group in particular is phenomenal.”
Since its creation in 1972, Four Diamonds has helped more than 4,000 children and families and supports a diverse platform of childhood cancer research at Penn State Children’s Hospital. The organization seeks improved treatments and cures to benefit kids around the world. For more information, visit www.fourdiamonds.org.