The energy is palpable as student leaders exchange ideas and to-do lists around the room. There is much to be done in order to orchestrate one of the biggest events of the year. From luminarias to speakers, every detail is carefully arranged in order to make Relay for Life a success.
During weekly PIT and outside of school meetings, a cohort of student leaders overseeing the organization of Relay for Life, a fundraising event held in support of the American Cancer Society, are already getting to work. Additionally, staff members such as teacher Tyler Lewis and co-chair of Student Council Katahdin Benard oversee the logistics of the event and provide the students with support. Relay for Life will take place April 11 at Monroe Stadium.
“I think that seeing so many students come together on a Friday night to celebrate life, to be together and be unified when they could be anywhere else [is gratifying],” Benard said. “Some are volunteering, some are with family, but that, to me, has been the biggest part of why I want Relay for Life to be successful.”
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the first Relay for Life held at the school. This consistency is unique to Vandegrift, as the school is the only organization holding Relay for Life annually in the North Austin area.
“Having an event you can come to every single year, especially with the Luminaria ceremony, and having that consistency in such a painstaking position [is important],” senior and Student Council co-logistic lead Anya Bhandari said. “Whether you’re losing someone, whether you’re going through cancer [yourself], or whether you’re overcoming cancer, I think the most important thing about this event being reoccurring is because it shows consistency, and it acts as an emotional anchor for those who might need it.”
This year, freshman Allie Church is leading a team of her own after experiencing cancer first-hand, as she was diagnosed with Non-Germinomatous Germ Cell Tumor in 2021. This specific type of cancer is specially rare, representing only about 3.5% of cancer diagnoses.
“People think cancer is a terrible thing, and while it is, it really has shown me how strong I am, and it has shown me all the people around me that really care,” Church said. “It has helped me become a stronger, and a better overall person.”
Church underwent 24 rounds of chemotherapy and 30 rounds of proton radiation at Dell Children’s Medical Center during her journey. Since being declared cancer-free, she has traveled and met with other cancer survivors to share her story and will be delivering a speech at Relay for Life.
“[Relay for Life] just shows how people really do care, and how people can come together and help others,” Church said. “It means so much, because I feel like I’m always too nervous to tell people. I don’t know if they’re gonna care, and so I think this will really push me to actually tell my story, feel better about my cancer and not feel embarrassed about it.”
Students interested in joining a team are encouraged by volunteer organizations to join Church’s “Gold Team” and support the fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society. This year, all the teams will be participating in a Team Tournament, where they will compete for points and prizes in various activities, including a raffle.
“I thought it’d be a really fun idea to incorporate all the people that attended the event, and it’d be a fun way for everyone to interact, have fun and compete,” junior and Relay Team Development chair Caleb Luong said. “I’ve learned how much people care for the community and how much people will put their mind to something that they care for and believe in. It’s pretty inspiring to see so many people meet for this one cause.”
Relay for Life usually is a long event, with the last relay races taking place past midnight. This year, some of the classic activities will be returning, primarily the Luminaria Ceremony, club booths, field games, live music, and more.
“[Relay for Life] is pretty close to me personally, because I’ve known a few people affected by cancer. Most notably, I grew up in Massachusetts, but in our neighborhood, there was this young boy diagnosed with leukemia, and it was so it was just terrifying,” Bhandari said. “I’ll go through and look at all the people attending the event, whether it be just to have fun or to remember someone or anything, and I think back to that moment, and personally. I see [the event] as a way to not only remember those who’ve gone through it and but also a way of having that community.”
