Yuma school leads state in cancer fundraiser, school, carter ...

One Yuma school is the leader of the pack in Arizona.

Desert View Academy raised more than all other Arizona campuses this year that participated in Olive Garden's Pasta for Pennies fundraiser to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

The Yuma school collected a total of $9,771.62 during the three weeks that the fundraiser was held, beating out a second place Mesa school Desert Ridge Junior High School by $1,019.93.

Cindy Carter, character education instructor at Desert View, said the class that raised the most funds at each participating school was awarded with a pasta party at their local Olive Garden, which is a great incentive. But the best incentive for students at Desert View is making a difference.

After losing a teacher, an instructional aid and a handful of parents to various forms of cancer, Carter shared that this cause is very dear to the hearts of those at Desert View.

?We're tired of these diseases and we want to do our part to stop them so people don't have to suffer,? she said.

Carter explained that Desert View has participated in this program for the past eight years, but after the recent passing of former teacher Elda Neketin, they decided that they wanted to dedicate their fundraising in her honor as well as in memory of all staff, friends and family that had been lost to cancer.

She shared that Neketin's class would always lead the way in raising funds for this cause. After her passing, the school decided to raise the most funds in Arizona ? and they succeeded.

Students took up odd jobs here and there, Carter noted, and some even contributed some their own birthday money to the cause.

It has always been the mission of the school to not only teach students about character, but to do our very best to live what they teach, she said.

Parents also got involved, Carter shared, noting that parent volunteers, led by Jennifer Freedman, were a tremendous help during the weeks that they raised funds.

Administrative Assistant Anita Aldama commented that parents were helpful in not only collecting the funds, but also in getting the students pumped up and excited about the cause.

?This fundraiser is a great platform for us to show our students what it means to be caring and a good citizen and to help those in need,? Carter said.

She explained that each K-6 student attends a character education class weekly to learn more about how to be trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair, caring and a good citizen, but it also ingrained throughout the campus community as well.

?Part of our responsibility as people of good character is that we help those in need. I'm very proud of how compassionate they are and how they are willing to step up to the plate and help those in need,? Carter said.

According to a news release, 115,000 first- through 12th-grade students in Arizona, Nevada and Utah collectively raised $296,000 to support cancer research. Those funds helped to add to the $61 million raised through Pasta for Pennies over the last 17 years to fund LLS's main mission: cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma.

?This year's Pasta for Pennies success is proof that anyone, no matter their age, can become involved and make a difference in the lives of others,? said John Caron, president of Olive Garden in a news release. ?All of us at Olive Garden commend the many students, parents, teachers and administrators who came together for this program and turned pocket change into millions of dollars for cancer research.?

Sarah Womer can be reached at swomer@yumasun.com or 539-6858.

Source: http://www.yumasun.com/news/school-73050-carter-students.html

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