Troy Athens students raise $155,000 for charity in just one week
TROY, Mich. (WJBK) - Students at Troy Athens High School raised more than $155,000 during its Charity Week.
Last year, students raised $84,000 and set a goal this year to raise $100,000. They far exceeded that. The grand total was $155,416.35. The gym erupted in cheers and students were moved to tears as the final number was revealed.
Charity Week is kind of like the school's "spirit week," with a different theme each day of the week. A game night, a "Jail-n-Bail," "Teacher Dance Battle" and other school events and activities have turned Athens students into fundraising machines every year.
This year, Charity Week was a little more personal to the students, especially the seniors. 2017 is the year they would have graduated with Jenna Kast, their classmate who died from brain cancer at age 11. This year, Charity Week raised money for the Jenna Kast, We Believe in Miracles Foundation, which gives children facing a life threatening illness a second miracle wish.
Student Ellory Thill says students from schools all over Troy came together to raise the money for Jenna's foundation.
"It was the first year where everyone was really working towards one common goal," Thill tells us.
According to School Life of Troy, $5,000 is also going to help sophomore student Caroline Mayne who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in December. She'll have a wish granted from Jenna's foundation.
Caroline joined FOX 2 on The Nine to tell us more about Charity Week, and what the Jenna Kast Foundation means to her. You can hear more from her in the video player above.
Caroline says she'd like to take a trip somewhere during the summer, but isn't sure where yet.
Corporate sponsors, school staff and the community all helped the students raise all the money. The Charity Week tradition will continue next year, as it has for decades.