Pep rally to aid needy students
by Davy James, Staff Writer
Spirit Week is underway at South Brunswick High School, and students and staff are trying to raise not only school spirit, but money for families in need.
As part of the Student Council’s Cheer for a Cure, students donate money throughout a week of festivities, which will culminate on Friday with a school pep rally featuring a visit from the Harlem Wizards basketball team.
Throughout Spirit Week, students participate in Penny Wars, a contest where all classes compete and donate money, with the proceeds going to help the family of a South Brunswick High School student in need.
Cheer for a Cure began last school year as a way to raise money for ovarian cancer research, after one of the school’s staff members lost a sister to the disease, according to Lauren Van Hook, the teacher advisor to the school’s Student Council. Last year the club raised approximately $3,000.
”We got a lot of support from the students last year,” Ms. Van Hook said. “But there are so many needy families in the area, we decided to change this year and try to help one of those families.”
The family receiving the aid will come from the student body. The family was recommended by a staff member and is having a hard time making ends meet, said to Ms. Van Hook.
Cheer for a Cure includes an all-male cheerleading team, which will perform a choreographed dance routine while wearing skirts during the pep rally on Friday.
”We get a huge response from the other students,” said Dillon Diatlo, a junior member of the Cheer for a Cure squad. “We do it to promote Penny Wars, and try to get all of the classes to donate money.”
During Penny Wars, bins representing the four classes — freshman to senior — are set up throughout the school. Each class receives points for pennies, which they drop into their own class bin. Negative points are awarded when nickels, dimes, quarters and bills are dropped into other class bins. Whichever class has the highest amount of points, even if it’s a negative number, wins the Penny Wars.
”We never see a class finish with positive points,” said Jeffrey White, a senior Student Council officer. “Which is good because people donate more money trying to give other classes negative points.”
The Spirit Week activities lead up to Friday’s pep rally, when the Harlem Wizards, a basketball show team, will entertain the students and staff with a performance, before the Cheer for a Cure squad hits the court for its routine.
”Spirit week is a lot of fun,” said Jennifer Luck, a junior student council officer. “Our school does a great job with school spirit.”

