Students raise nearly $7K to fight childhood cancer

Sixth, seventh and eighth grade Devon Prep students spent five hours on a recent Friday night without playing video games or watching TV, all to benefit pediatric cancer research. More than 50 middle school students participated in “Up for a Cause” which netted more than $6500 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“Up for a Cause,” sponsored by Devon Prep’s Christian Action Program (CAP), is a lockin type event where students played basketball, football, and other games, maneuvered an inflatable obstacle course, and enjoyed pizza and snacks in the school’s gym from 7 PM to midnight. Some of the boys were active all night, while others took time to just hang out. Although how they spent the night may have been different, their motivation was the same – to help sick children.

Seventh Grader Keller Mardis of Phoenixville feels it’s a worthwhile event. “Up for a Cause was a wonderful event that was super fun to participate in,” he said. “We raised more than $6,500 for St. Jude’s Hospital. It’s feels great to be able to help so many children.”

CAP sponsored a similar overnight event for Devon Prep’s Upper School students last fall, raising more than $24,000, making the total donation to St. Jude over $30,000 this year. More than ten years ago Devon Prep was the first high school in the country to attempt this all night event to raise money for charity. In the past, this type of event had only been sponsored by college students. In the years Devon Prep students have been “staying up,” they raised over $200,000 for hospitals that care for ill children.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (http://www.stjude.org/ ) was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas to find cures, through research and treatment, for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. On average 5,700 active patients visit the hospital each year, most of who are treated on an outpatient basis. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.

Devon Prep’s Christian Action Program is a service organization which includes nearly 50 middle and upper school students dedicated to caring for and helping those less fortunate. Their activities include collecting food for neighborhood shelters and food cupboards, organizing clothing drives, sponsoring a Blood Drive for the American Red Cross and conducting fund raisers for several non-profit organizations.

Devon Prep Middle School Christian Action Program (CAP) members helped raise nearly $7,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, they are, from left: Sixth Grader Peter DeMaio of Havertown, Eighth Graders Joseph Scavitto of Chester Springs, Ryan...