Annika Khurana, News Editor
@akhuranacourant
Since last year, seniors Kristina Gashi and Ella Gibb have been a part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s fight to end blood cancer through their participation in the Student(s) of the Year Program. This year, their seven-week campaign, Rams For a Remedy, ran from January 21st until March 11th.
According to Devon O’Toole, the Campaign Development Manager for the Westchester and Fairfield county program, Students of the Year was founded in 2016 as an organizational opportunity to expand awareness and fundraising. “It was a program that our leadership took a risk on,” Ms. O’Toole said. “For high school students, it’s an incredible opportunity to dive into philanthropy at a young age and also build skills around service, leadership, and entrepreneurship.”
Last year, Kristina and Ella founded the Volunteer Club under the supervision of English teacher Susan Steidl, however, they were unsure of what approach to take in terms of acts of service and making a community impact. “Ms. Steidl told us about the program,” Kristina said. “New Canaan has never really had a Student of the Year and neither have any of the nearby towns, like Darien or Greenwich, so Ms. O’Toole was excited to have representatives from New Canaan.”
According to Ms. O’Toole, students often choose to participate in the program because they are connected to the cause in some way. “A lot of students this year have mission connections, meaning they might be a survivor of leukemia themselves,” she said.
Other students may choose to represent lost family members by participating in the program. “My grandpa passed away from leukemia, so part of the reason why I wanted to be a part of this fundraiser was for him,” Ella said.
While Kristina does not have a direct connection to the cause, she enjoys completing acts of service and building person-to-person relationships through her participation in the Students of the Year program. “I want to do whatever I can to help something bigger than myself,” she said.
Apart from the Student of the Year program itself, which directly funds cancer-research and support services, high school students are given the opportunity to create their own networks. “It’s really just about being a relationship builder,” Ms. O’Toole said. “These students are part of a generation that’s fighting to see an end to blood cancers, if not, all cancers.”
The need for planning and communication leading up to and through the fundraising campaign, however, poses a big time commitment for candidates. “We really want the most driven students and parents,” Ms. O’Toole said. “From the minute we sign a candidate on, I’m meeting with them every couple of weeks to check in and slowly start to build a seven-week fundraising plan.”
With a heavy time commitment, however, comes the opportunity to make a community-level impact and take on the role of a leader. “100 hours of community service are involved,” Ella added. “It definitely strengthens your leadership skills because you have to make sure your team members are staying on top of all their duties, fundraisers are getting done correctly, and many people have to be reached out to.”
Karaoke Night took place on March 8th and was one of the community-wide fundraising events run by the Rams for a Remedy campaign. Students had the opportunity to contribute to cancer research and support services by coming to the high school with a five dollar entry fee for some singing and dancing.
The community, whether students, parents, or even local businesses, was able to make direct contributions to the fundraiser during the time of the seven-week campaign. Last year, Vineyard Vines donated $300 worth of clothes to Kristina and Ella’s campaign.
With the opportunity to catch a glimpse of philanthropic practices while still in high school, much can be taken away from participation in the Students of the Year program. “This program teaches you a lot about yourself, which I love. You learn how to be responsible, punctual, and learn leadership and communication skills,” Kristina said. “It’s important to be able to communicate and network because that’s essential for what I want to do in the future.”
