YUCCA VALLEY —
Yucca Valley High School’s pep rally Friday, Oct. 24, wasn’t special
just because of homecoming, but also for something bigger. Ten students
had their heads shaved during the assembly as a way to raise awareness
about childhood cancer.
“It feels really soft, but I feel really empowered,” senior Kylie Howell said after her haircut.
Howell organized and spearheaded the event for
her National Honors Society project. She started the planning process in
July when she came across St. Baldrick’s Foundation,
“a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising
research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long,
healthy lives.”
“I was looking up a project to do and I was like, ‘Hey this is really cool. I’ll shave my head for it. Why not?’” Howell said.
Childhood cancer isn’t an unfamiliar topic for Howell. Her mother says when Howell was in the second grade, they thought she had leukemia. After several hospital visits, it was discovered that Howell was cancer-free.
Now in her senior year of high school, she decided to plan the head-shaving event to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation. During the first week of school, Howell and her friend, fellow senior Yvonne Tran, contacted Scott Phillips, the activities director of the Associated Student Body, and they decided to make it part of the homecoming assembly.
“We felt, as ASB, that it was so important that we made it one of our spirit days; Monday was Cancer Awareness,” Phillips said. “We started it with Monday and then the culmination was today.”
Senior Colby Compton also was on board and helped with the planning of the event.
“I just thought it was a really cool idea that she was doing this for children, especially since our friend’s little brother was diagnosed with leukemia,” he said. “It was personal for us.”
Their friend Mikalya Cressy’s younger brother, Caden, was diagnosed with leukemia recently and provided more motivation for the students.
Howell said they began to solicit donations from students, residents and businesses throughout the city. Buckets for donations and a head-shaving sign-up sheet were placed in teachers’ classrooms.
“I actually think it’s harder to shave your head than to put up money, so I commend these students for thinking about anything that’s more important than themselves,” Phillips said.
About nine students signed up and received a free haircut Friday afternoon during the pep rally.
“It’s only hair and I think it’s a great way to get money for this foundation,” senior Enrique Campos, one of the participants, said. “It’s these kind of things that get the word out there that make a group of people want to do something for a group like St. Baldrick’s.”
So far, Howell has raised $900, only $100 short of her goal, and a huge feat for the senior.
Tran said she appreciates everyone’s help, including the professionals from Envy Styling Studio, Shear Glam and Ambiance Hair Salon, who volunteered their buzz-cutting services Friday afternoon.
“I was looking up a project to do and I was like, ‘Hey this is really cool. I’ll shave my head for it. Why not?’” Howell said.
Childhood cancer isn’t an unfamiliar topic for Howell. Her mother says when Howell was in the second grade, they thought she had leukemia. After several hospital visits, it was discovered that Howell was cancer-free.
Now in her senior year of high school, she decided to plan the head-shaving event to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation. During the first week of school, Howell and her friend, fellow senior Yvonne Tran, contacted Scott Phillips, the activities director of the Associated Student Body, and they decided to make it part of the homecoming assembly.
“We felt, as ASB, that it was so important that we made it one of our spirit days; Monday was Cancer Awareness,” Phillips said. “We started it with Monday and then the culmination was today.”
Senior Colby Compton also was on board and helped with the planning of the event.
“I just thought it was a really cool idea that she was doing this for children, especially since our friend’s little brother was diagnosed with leukemia,” he said. “It was personal for us.”
Their friend Mikalya Cressy’s younger brother, Caden, was diagnosed with leukemia recently and provided more motivation for the students.
Howell said they began to solicit donations from students, residents and businesses throughout the city. Buckets for donations and a head-shaving sign-up sheet were placed in teachers’ classrooms.
“I actually think it’s harder to shave your head than to put up money, so I commend these students for thinking about anything that’s more important than themselves,” Phillips said.
About nine students signed up and received a free haircut Friday afternoon during the pep rally.
“It’s only hair and I think it’s a great way to get money for this foundation,” senior Enrique Campos, one of the participants, said. “It’s these kind of things that get the word out there that make a group of people want to do something for a group like St. Baldrick’s.”
So far, Howell has raised $900, only $100 short of her goal, and a huge feat for the senior.
Tran said she appreciates everyone’s help, including the professionals from Envy Styling Studio, Shear Glam and Ambiance Hair Salon, who volunteered their buzz-cutting services Friday afternoon.
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