fundraising

Exeter High School Club Thrives, Brings Smiles to Hospitalized Children

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New Hampshire SAU 16
Dr. David Ryan, Superintendent
30 Linden Street
Exeter, NH 03833

For Immediate Release

Monday, July 15, 2019

Media Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Exeter High School Club Thrives, Brings Smiles to Hospitalized Children

From left: Exeter High School school counselor Christine Leach, David Leach, and special education teacher/case manager Lisha Rowe. (Courtesy Photo SAU 16)

EXETER — More than three years after a club was founded in memory of an Exeter High School student who died from a brain tumor, the group continues to flourish and bring smiles to children who are hospitalized.

The club, Derek’s Smile, was created in October 2016 after a junior at the school, Derek Hoyt, died from a brain tumor, his third battle with cancer, the prior spring. The club was founded by his sister, Ashley Hoyt, who since graduated from Exeter High School in 2018, with the goal of bringing moments of happiness to children hospitalized and suffering from various illnesses and medical conditions.

Although all students who would have known Derek have since graduated from Exeter High School, the club has continued to thrive and works to bring moments of happiness to hospitalized children in his memory.

Approximately 12 students, many of them freshmen, participated in the group this school year.

“This year was our first without Derek’s sister being here to lead the group,” said Christine Leach, a school counselor at Exeter High School and adviser to the group. “There are no longer any students here who went to school with Derek, and it was a fear of mine that the group would fizzle out after his sister graduated. I am pleased to say that we have grown this year.”

Students in the group raised funds for team “Derek’s Smile” in the Jimmy Fund 13.1 mile walk in Boston in September 2018. Members of the team included Leach, her husband David Leach and special education teacher and case manager Lisha Rowe. The team ultimately raised more than $2,000 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

For the 2019 Jimmy Fund 13.1 mile walk this September, the team has already surpassed its goal of raising $1,500. To donate to the team, click here.

This past school year, the Derek’s Smile club also organized and oversaw a pretzel raffle, card drive, talent show and basket raffle, and received a donation from the Newfield’s 5K.

As a result of the club’s initiatives, students from Exeter High School sent more than a thousand cards to hospitalized children this year alone. The club also gave $500 donations to St. Jude’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital and Shriner’s Hospitals for Children.

“It has been incredible to see students in the club become so invested in community service and bringing moments of happiness to children who are suffering,” Leach said. “This club has a wonderful mission, and is a tremendous tribute to Derek and the moments of happiness that meant so much to him and those who knew him.”

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Mascoma Valley Sixth Grade Student to Run Half Marathon for Positive Tracks

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Mascoma Valley School District 

Amanda Isabelle, Superintendent

Rt. 4
PO Box 789
Enfield, NH 03748

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003

Email: [email protected]

Mascoma Valley Sixth Grade Student to Run Half Marathon for Positive Tracks

Gunner Currier, a sixth grade student at Indian River Middle School, will run a half marathon this June to raise money for Positive Tracks, a nonprofit that encourages young people to use exercise as a platform for social change. (Courtesy Photo Mascoma Valley Regional School District)

ENFIELD, N.H. — Superintendent Amanda Isabelle is pleased to share that an Indian River Middle School Student is using his passion for running to raise funds for Positive Tracks.

Positive Tracks is a nonprofit that encourages young people to use exercise as a platform for social change.

Gunner Currier, a sixth grade student, set a goal this November to raise $500 for the nonprofit. As of Tuesday, May 28, Currier had raised $520 through a  Crowdrise page he created. As part of his fundraising campaign, Currier will also be running the Covered Bridges Half Marathon on Sunday, June 2, in Pomfret, Vermont.

Currier was inspired to raise money for the group after the nonprofit supported his cross country team during its 2018 Fun Day fundraiser. In the spring of 2018, the Indian River School Track and Cross County Team held its first Fun Day — a day of activities for children of all ages to raise money to support its program. The teams raised $1,000 that day, which Positive Tracks matched.

Positive Tracks also matched $300 in funds that students raised at their second annual Fun Day event on Sunday, May 19, and has supported individual members of the team in their initiatives to raise money for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD) Hero Half Marathon.

“It’s such a pleasure to see one of our middle school students taking the initiative to thank an organization for supporting his team,” Superintendent Isabelle said. “Gunner’s decision to run this half marathon to raise funds also makes it clear that this nonprofit’s mission has really resonated with him, and he’s using running, one of his favorite pastimes, to make an impact.”

Currier ran his first half marathon when he was 8 years old. He holds the state record for fastest time for a 9-year-old to run a half marathon, at 1 hour and 57 minutes, and the record for the fastest 10 year old to run a half marathon, at 1 hour and 47 minutes. He holds the record as the fastest 8, 9, and 10-year-old to run a 12 kilometer race in the state as well.

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Dondero Elementary School Participates in Portsmouth Holiday Parade, Kicks Off Playground Fundraising Campaign

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Portsmouth School Department
SAU 52
Stephen Zadravec, Superintendent
1 Junkins Avenue, Suite 402., Portsmouth, NH 038017

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Dec. 19 2017

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Dondero Elementary School Participates in Portsmouth Holiday Parade, Kicks Off Playground Fundraising Campaign

Dondero Elementary School introduced its playground fundraising campaign to the community during the Portsmouth Holiday Parade. Left to right: Dondero fourth grade students Jenness Parizo and Ginger Vinciguerra with the school’s “Pennies for the Playground” float. (Courtesy Photo)

PORTSMOUTH — Principal Katherine Callahan is pleased to announce that the Dondero Elementary School participated in the Portsmouth Holiday Parade to kick-off its fundraising campaign for a new playground.

On Saturday, Dec. 2, members of Dondero’s Parent Teacher Association attended the Portsmouth Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting to introduce their fundraising efforts to bring a $100,000 playground to students and community members.

As part of the event, the Dondero School created a float, “Pennies for the Playground,” which students walked alongside, handing out bookmarks and flying discs to passersby. Earlier in the year, the PTA spearheaded a contest where they awarded the class that collected the most pennies with an ice cream party.

The school’s Minecraft pig mascot, which was created by 10 Dondero School students from repurposed boxes, was also at the parade and interacted with attendees alongside the float. He will make regular tours around the city to educate community members about the playground and fundraising efforts.

Over the next couple months, the Dondero School Playground Committee will be ramping up its campaign, reaching out to residents, businesses and community members for their support. The Dondero PTA has already donated $20,000 of its annual budget to the endeavor, and because the playground will serve 310 students at Dondero, and an additional 427 homes at the Elwyn Park and Woodlands neighborhoods, the committee hopes this venture will be supported.

The goal is to break ground on the new playground, which will be located next to the baseball field and close to the kindergarten wing, this summer. Dondero’s current playground is 17 years old and does not meet the needs of the community or comply with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.

“We’ve had a great start to our fundraising campaign and the parade was a fantastic opportunity for the Dondero School to share our goals with the community,” Principal Callahan said. “We hope to see this project come to fruition because we know that playgrounds provide a space for students to learn, cooperate with others, overcome challenges and explore.”

Those who would like to donate to the campaign can do so at the Dondero School’s gofundme page here. Find out more about the project here.

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Butler Elementary School Raises More Than $26,000 During Inaugural Fun Run

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Avon Public Schools
Paul Zinni, Superintendent
1 Patrick Clark Drive
Avon, MA 02322

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Butler Elementary School Raises More Than $26,000 During Inaugural Fun Run

AVON — Principal Darrin Reynolds is pleased to announce that students from Ralph D. Butler Elementary School raised $26,500 during the inaugural Fun Run last month.

On Sept. 26, from 8:45 a.m. to noon, students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade gathered outside Butler Elementary School to run 35 laps around a Boosterthon designed course that featured music and themed laps (patriotic, dancing, slow motion and even a parent lap).

To gear up for the event, students participated in a 10-day pep rally focused on building character, learning about perseverance and fundraising for the Fun Run through Boosterthon’s Castle Quest video.

All money raised from the event benefits the Avon School Association, which sends students on cost free field trips to places like the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Capron Park Zoo, organizes school-wide presentations for students and purchases needed classroom supplies.

As part of Castle Quest, parents were also given an opportunity to create a one minute video commercial featuring their children, who are on their own journey to raise money for the school. Using this tactic, 72 percent of students obtained donations from family, friends and the community — more than doubling Butler’s $13,000 fundraising goal.

Students who participated in the Fun Run set off at different times around the track depending on their grade level and were cheered on by their peers, parents, friends and community members. All students were given a Fun Run t-shirt that allowed them to track the amount of laps they completed.

“This was a great event and the sportsmanship from students and parents who participated in the parent themed lap was amazing,” Principal Reynolds said. “We’ve never had a more successful fundraiser and we can’t wait to do this all over again next year!”

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