On Wednesday, January 10th, 2024, the WHS Honors Biology Department hosted its very first Cancer Awareness Fundraiser. The past several months have been spent preparing for this event by creating different campaigns and taping advertisement posters throughout the school. With the help of faculty, students, and community members, the biology department raised $1,600 at the event itself and $5,827 in total. All proceeds will go towards the Winchester Hospital for Cancer Center, a local organization that is a perfect fit for this community-driven fundraiser. Having students promote the Winchester Hospital helps teach them about the benefits of becoming involved within their community.
One word that came up multiple times throughout the project was philanthropy - to promote the welfare of others. What does it mean to give back to your community? What does it mean to fulfill your civic duty? Students were asked to reflect on what kind of impact they could have on the world around them. This fundraiser forced students to connect the dots between what they learned in school and apply that to the real world. The WHS Biology Cancer Fundraiser was created with the hope that students will begin to form real-world connections with their learning. “As educators, we found that student engagement was highest when exploring topics that students could connect to their own lives and were truly meaningful in their community” stated the Biology Cancer Fundraiser website. This student-led initiative allows teenagers to experience learning beyond the traditional classroom setting and inspires them to become active participants in both their learning and their community.
Students used their knowledge about cell replication and mitosis to create awareness campaigns for a cancer or carcinogen of their choice through informational resources. These resources included infographics, brochures, social media campaigns, informative videos, websites, volunteer opportunities, and art pieces.This student-led initiative led to many unique projects. As Ms. White, an honors biology teacher, told her students: “The sky’s the limit.” Project ideas that students came up with ranged from HTML-coded websites to hand-crocheted pieces to if-then simulations. Because students were given more freedom to explore their areas of interest, the resulting projects clearly reflected their own individual passions. One group researched how processed foods lead to cancer and then analyzed the economic inequities in food sources to see which demographics were unfairly targeted. Another group chose to research skin cancer in memory of their grandfather.
Not only did students produce unique and distinct work, but they also learned how to collaborate as a group. Group projects, albeit frustrating, teach valuable lessons about teamwork and cooperation.
The biology department appreciates all who made this event possible, whether it be through donations, participating in the event, or simply coming to the showcase. The biology teachers hope to continue promoting cancer awareness and look to continue this fundraiser in the 2024-25 school year!
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