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Schools

Whitman Students Come Together To Fight Cancer

The school's student government held several events in February to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

February was Leukemia and Lymphoma Month at Walt Whitman High School, and students were making the most of it with their fundraising efforts, hoping to raise more than $50,000.

The Student Government Association planned several events for students, with proceeds benefiting those with leukemia and lymphoma, such as a 5k race and a seven-hour dance marathon.

The fundraising efforts were a part of the 8th Annual Pennies For Patients High School Challenge, a four-week fundraising competition to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s National Capital Area Chapter. 16 schools around the region participated.

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Whitman students said the issue was close to home for many.

“A girl in my grade has leukemia, and one kid who was supposed to be a senior this year passed away from it also,” said Anjana Setlur, an 11th grade student who helped plan bRAVE, the dance marathon held on Feb. 23. “Everybody knows this is really important, which is why so many people came to help out.”

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About 800 people came to the dance marathon, Setlur said, and many of them attended other high schools in the area. The event raised more than $20,000, according to the Whitman SGA.

Last year, Walter Johnson High School won the Pennies for Patients competition, raising $58,263. Whitman was the runner-up, with a total of $51,000.

"This year, we’re trying to be first," Setlur said.

2012 was the first year for the dance marathon, said Abhi Setlur, Anjana’s sister, who graduated from Whitman last year and now attends the University of Maryland.

The SGA also held a 5k race on Feb. 10, which Whitman senior Talia Levinas said was very successful. More than 600 people registered for the race, she said, and the event raised more than $10,000.

Students were feeling optimistic about this year’s success.

“I definitely think we did better than last year,” Levinas said. “Everyone really came together and worked hard to raise money for something really important.”

The SGA will find out the results in the coming weeks. More information about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society can be found at www.lls.org.

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