News

Setting a high goal to find a cure for cancer

By Scott Wagar

03/06/2012

Bottineau’s third grade classes made a pledge this past Monday afternoon to participate in St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Math-a-thon, a fundraising program for St. Jude, which is a health and research facility that cares for children diagnosed with cancer and other life threatening diseases regardless of their families’ ability to pay.

“The program includes a free math curriculum supplement for grades K-8 that students complete after obtaining a sponsorship from family and friends,” stated St. Jude’s website. “The benefits of Math-a-thon add up to help a good cause. Students who participate will improve math and comprehension skills, solve age-appropriate math problems, and understand the importance of helping others. This all equals help for St. Judes’ patients battling cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases.”

Angie Radtke, a teacher for the Bottineau’s school system, introduced the third graders to the Math-a-thon event by speaking about a very special person in the life of the school district’s, Mrs. Mavis Hagen, an educator in Bottineau’s elementary school who lost her own life to cancer.

“Mavis was a third grade teacher here in Bottineau for some 30 years. She established the Math-a-thon before she passed away from cancer,” Radtke said. “Mavis asked us (the school staff) if we would continue the Math-a-thon and I told her we would. So, every year the third graders do the project.”

The Bottineau school is in its fourth year of the Math-a-thon since Hagen lost her life to cancer. In the past three years, the students have raised $3,800 with the following classes raising this amount:

•  2009 Class - $1,000
• 2010 Class - $1,100
• 2011 Class - $1,700

This year’s class made the decision to reach the goal of $1,500 with the Math-a-thon project, but told Radtke they were going to make every attempt to break their own goal along with the school’s record.

The third grade teachers, Karen Brandvold, Heather Kersten and Radtke, kicked-off the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Math-a-thon by introducing their classes to a Math-a-thon DVD, featuring two young children who were siblings which were both diagnosed with leukemia and being treated for the disease at St. Jude’s.

The DVD also presented “The Numerators,” an animated show of four super heroes who explained to the third graders how the Math-a-thon fundraiser is conducted, which is completed through four easy steps.  

•  The Math-A-Thon DVD is shown to the students and a student/parent guide is sent home with each child for the parent to read, sign and give their consent.
•  The students return the signed permission/consent form from the Student/Parent Guide to the event coordinators, who are Brandvold, Kersten and Radtke.  
•  The third graders then go out and obtain sponsors and solve problems in a “Math funbook.”  
•  The students collect their donations from their sponsors and return the money to the event coordinators.

“Students can collect straight donations or they can collect pledges for each point they earn in the funbook,” Radtke said.

The third graders do not only learn math in a fun way, along with conducting community service, but they are given the opportunity to win prizes through the money they raise, which includes a special opportunity to win a trip to Hollywood, Calif.

“This year, St. Jude is giving students an extra incentive for participating in the St. Jude Math-a-thon. “Every participating school that raises at least $1,000 will be entered in Hollywood sweepstakes,” stated St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “Two winning schools will be randomly selected and each school will choose a student who will win an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood to see the live taping of a Nickelodeon show.”

St. Jude is the largest childhood cancer research center in the world when it comes to patients enrolled in research protocols and successful treatment. The facility opened in 1962 with children who have come from across the United States and all around the world for treatment. Research findings at St. Jude are also shared with physicians and scientist throughout the world.

Brandvold, Kersten and Radtke are encouraging individuals in and around Bottineau to give donations to the third classes for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The deadline for donations is March 15.
Donation can be sent to Brandvold, Kersten and Radtke at the Bottineau Middle School office and an individual’s should make the check out to St. Jude’s Children Hospital.