This school year marks a special chapter at Stimson Middle School, as the entire community embarks on a year of civic engagement to give back and make a difference in honor of the district’s 100th anniversary. The administration and students have committed to an ambitious series of community service events that focus on making a tangible impact, starting with a powerful cause: breast cancer awareness.
Stimson’s First Annual Breast Cancer Charity Walk
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on October 28th, Stimson Middle School held its first annual Breast Cancer Charity Walk. Students stayed after school to walk for an important cause, bringing awareness and raising funds to support breast cancer research. Assistant Principal Elizabeth Keating shared the school’s mission: “We really want our 8th graders to move on to high school with that great feeling that you get when you see good in the world and you played a part in it. It’s just really focusing on creating a Stimson community that’s civically minded and really engaged in community projects.”
The walk began on the outdoor basketball court, where students gathered in a sea of pink—wearing sweatshirts, t-shirts, pink bead necklaces, ribbons, and face stickers. They followed the school’s cross-country route, completing two laps around the field before returning to the court for snacks and water. Participation required a $5 donation, and students had the opportunity to write the names of loved ones affected by breast cancer on chain links for a “Pink Chain of Love” displayed in the school.
For some students, the walk was a chance to earn community service hours or a Certificate of Participation, while others walked for loved ones or simply to show support. Eighth grader Sadie Singer expressed the importance of caring: “Because it could be us in the future. It’s not that we don’t care about it now because we could know people with it or we could just want to help support the people that have it.” Her friend, Valentina Valle, added, “I want to support the people that have had breast cancer. It shows that we care for others.”
The event raised $535, which will be donated to Stand Up For Suzanne, a local nonprofit dedicated to breast cancer research at Cold Spring Harbor Lab. The organization honors Suzanne Sokolowski-Shea, a Huntington resident who lost her battle with metastatic breast cancer.
Kicking Off Civic Engagement with the JZips Fundraiser
Stimson’s commitment to service began with the JZips Fundraiser Competition in September, an event designed to support children undergoing cancer treatment. JZips, founded by cancer survivor Jordan Harouche, creates modified t-shirts with shoulder zippers to make chemotherapy sessions more comfortable for pediatric cancer patients. Principal Michael Duggan emphasized the significance of community service for young students: “At this age group, civic engagement is really important. They need to be able to start getting on that path and having service to the community as part of their life. It may spur an interest in a young person that isn’t going to join a sports team or they’re not going to go read a book in the library, but maybe this [community service] is their thing.”
The competition, which ran from September 23rd to October 2nd, involved grades 7 and 8 collecting new t-shirts (sizes newborn to adult) and raising money in their homerooms. The grade with the most t-shirts won the Stimson Cup and bragging rights, while the homeroom with the highest donations earned a bagel breakfast. Students were encouraged to bring colorful, fun t-shirts, especially those with exciting designs like superheroes or cartoons.
Principal Duggan outlined the goal: “We’re looking for sizes zero to XXL, toddlers to adults. The organization prefers shirts with fun designs or logos. Especially when we think about the pediatric cancer patients, we’re looking for Marvel or cartoons. We’re looking for kids to say, ‘Oh, I really want to wear this,’ something they can wear throughout the day, help with what they’re going through, and still feel pretty cool about themselves.”
As Stimson Middle School continues its year of civic engagement, the sense of unity and purpose among students and staff shines brightly. This dedication to giving back serves as a powerful example of how a school community can come together to make a lasting difference.
For more information about JZips and their mission, visit JZips.org
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