Smithtown Students Unite Through Relay For Life to Support the Fight Against Cancer

Students from Smithtown High School East and Smithtown High School West continue to make a tremendous impact through their annual Relay For Life event benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Held at Smithtown High School West, the overnight community event brings together student leaders, athletic teams, clubs, families, survivors, caregivers, and community members for a shared mission: honoring those affected by cancer while raising critical funds for research, support services, and awareness efforts.

For 12 consecutive hours, participants take turns walking the track, symbolizing that cancer never sleeps — and neither does the fight against it. Throughout the year, teams organize fundraising activities, games, food sales, and awareness initiatives leading up to the event.

The Smithtown Relay For Life community has grown into one of the premier youth Relay events on Long Island, raising more than $86,000 during the 2025 event alone and surpassing $400,000 raised since the club’s founding.

The event is fueled by student leadership, with student-athletes playing a major role in planning, organizing, fundraising, and building participation across both schools. Their dedication recently earned Smithtown Central School District’s Relay For Life Club recognition as the Spring 2025 NYSPHSAA Community Service Challenge winner.

This year’s Relay For Life event is scheduled to take place on June 6th, continuing a tradition that has united the Smithtown community in hope, resilience, and service.

Through teamwork, compassion, and community engagement, Smithtown students continue to demonstrate how athletics and student leadership can create meaningful change far beyond the classroom while inspiring hope for families impacted by cancer throughout the region