Community Corner
WHS Raises Second Highest in Region in Race for the Cure
Thirty students raise $18,000 for breast cancer awareness.
Thirty students from Westfield High School participated in the Susan G. Komen Foundation's North Jersey Race for the Cure Sunday in Newark.
The group of students raised more than $18,600 for breast cancer research and was the second highest earning team throughout North Jersey. The students were featured on Fox 5's "Good Day New York" morning show a few days before the race.
The school's breast cancer awareness club was the main driving force behind the fundraising effort. The moderator of the club, Earth Science teacher Sara Soriente, said the 30 students who belong to the club worked extremely hard during the school year to raise the money.
Find out what's happening in Westfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
They sponsored bake sales and t-shirt sales throughout the year and held a semiformal dance in March. The group's "Play 4 Pink" volleyball tournament in the fall raised about $8,000 for the cause, Soriente said. The event was inspired by Beverly Torok, a breast cancer survivor and head volleyball coach at Westfield High.
"We do our best on each thing that we do," Soriente said.
Find out what's happening in Westfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The club has participated in the Race for the Cure each year that the race has been going on, which has been the past three years.
The event was held at the Essex County Branch Brook Park in Newark. Participants could do a 5K race, a 5K walk or a 1.5 mile fun walk. Soriente said, despite the rain, she, along with many students, did the 5K race, but some students chose the walk. The event featured a survivor recognition procession, live entertainment and a tent for survivors to gather and talk.
"It's inspirational to see how supportive people are to their loved ones," Soriente said.
Soriente said although the Westfield High team didn't quite raise its goal of $20,000, the students also wanted to raise awareness about breast cancer, which Soriente believes they did. During the course of the school year, the breast cancer awareness club has been on an education campaign in the high school about the disease. This has included informational banners in the hallways, a pink ribbon drive in October and and an education table during the annual Back to School night in September.
Soriente said the club plans to continue the education campaign in coming years.
"You hear stories everyday about younger and younger people being affected by it," she said.
