For the month of October, FHHS conducted multiple events to show their support towards breast cancer awareness.
Through “Pink Out” games — from Forest Hills’ sports teams, Academy of Public Service’s fundraising in the lobby, and the breast cancer walk led by APS and Council for Unity, Forest Hills continues to show its determination to advocate in the honor of those who suffer from breast cancer.
Ms. Ferrante, Coordinator of the Academy of Public Service said, “The big, culminating thing we do is the Making Strides against Breast Cancer walk at Flushing Meadows Park.”
She goes on to say, “We let students talk about their experiences, we take pictures, we get ready. We let students interact with the booths that are there. There’s a bunch of nonprofits, organizations, and support.”
In terms of logistics, Ms. Ferrante revealed, “The money goes directly to the American Cancer Society.” This particular group significantly focuses more on research than some of the other organizations out there.
Aside from the Making Strides walk, APS is at the forefront of the lobby fundraising that occurs every October.
Ms. Ferrante states, “Every year, we sell a bunch of pink and breast cancer related items in the lobby and all of the proceeds from that go straight to the American Cancer Society.”
Additionally, Marieta Vujicic, a senior in APS, states, “Our best selling items were pink gnomes and some other random pens and trinkets that you could get that we were able to sell to teachers mostly and some students.”
When asked about turnout, Ms. Ferrante continues, “I think we have a great turnout… you have almost the entirety of APS participating in some way, which is great. We also have more specific involvements. This year, we had a Breast Cancer Awareness Committee.”
This particular committee focuses on the prepping and planning for the events and sales. “They picked the stuff we purchased. They set the tables up, they picked the prices, they advertised for it, which was really cool,” Ms. Ferrante shared.
The value isn’t just in the time spent raising awareness for such a cause, but in the money donations received. This year, APS raised over $2,000, which is the most APS has received for the lobby event.
The awareness also hits home for peers and staff that have been directly infected by the disease, Ms. Ferrante said. “We had one student that said, ‘you know, my mom had breast cancer. It means a lot to see this here like this.’ So I think that’s what we’re hoping for… if we can all raise awareness together, if we can all sort of come together and care about an issue like this, it just expands impact.”
The impact starts from within the walls of FHHS, when minds come together with the goal of helping others. “I wouldn’t say that APS started the breast cancer fundraising,” Ms. Ferrante said. “I would say it’s more like we’re all just kind of on the same page and focused on the same goal… we’re all just trying to achieve it in our own ways. That’s the goal across all of us is like, the more money, the better, right? The more voices, the better, the more eyes on this, the better.”
