Student representatives Ellie Cirillo, Jalyna Martin and Maryan Kariyn were all too eager to explain their roles in this Liberty HS’s annual mini-THON, a smaller version of Penn State University’s fundraising event to benefit Pediatric Cancer.

Each year, students begin fundraising in September by hosting bake sales, car washes and similar events, cumulating with the “dance-a-thon” at the end of the school year.

Participants raise money and awareness by dancing (staying on their feet), for a designated period of time. University students at the main THON dance at Penn State dance for up to 24 hours – high school students dance for 12 hours.

Last year, due to COVID, the students were limited to three hours maximum. Cirillo said, “We are really hoping that COVID will not be an issue this year and we will be able to have the event for the full 12 hours.”

This year’s THON is scheduled for April 2, 2022. So far the students have raised $2,000 and are setting their sights on $35,000, a common goal in pre-COVID years.