Take one enthusiastic seventh-grade teacher. Add 150 seventh-graders with a desire to help, the initiative to complete a fundraising project, and the ability to research an array of worthy causes, and you end up with the newest contributors to the Breast Cancer Alliance: the Port Chester Middle School.

Teacher Allison Fasano with Lisa Matthews

Allison Fasano, a brand new Family and Consumer Science teacher at the school, worked with the students to come up with a fundraising project that would benefit a cause of their choice. The students decided to make scarves using T-shirts. They donated half of the completed scarves to a homeless shelter in Northern Westchester County and then sold the rest. Not only did they encourage their families, friends and school faculty to donate the T-shirts, they also learned how to solicit corporate donations, and received two sewing machines from the Singer Corporation to assist in making the scarves.

Anika Krause presenting a check to Lisa Matthews

Lisa Matthews and Irene Waddill with the Port Chester Middle School check

After raising the funds, the students each chose a cause to research, and presented their findings before the class. The winning presentation, selected by a group of teachers, was by seventh-grader Anika Krause, who spoke about breast cancer. The other finalists were : Anthony Rappocio, Daniel Galarza and Oscar Merino who each discussed Global Warming, and Ishbart Gonzalez, who spoke about Disaster Relief.

Competition semifinalists at the Port Chester Middle School

Looking for a local organization, Ms. Fasano found the Breast Cancer Alliance through a Google search. She and the school invited members of the Alliance to meet the students and receive the check in person. President Lisa Matthews spoke to the auditorium full of teenagers, advising them that their money would go to work right in their home town, as the Alliance provides funds to the Open Door Family Medical Center in Port Chester for breast cancer outreach services. Ms. Matthews also urged them to spread the word about breast cancer prevention to their mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters.

Principal Carmen Macchia attended the ceremony and noted, “We are proud of the extraordinary effort our students brought to this project – it really reflects that they are part of a caring community. It was also inspiring to see such enthusiasm and dedication from Allison, a first-year teacher.”

Congratulations to the kids at the Port Chester Middle School for becoming involved and improving breast health for women in their community.

Lisa Matthews with seventh grade students