Trying for our REPEAT!

2014-2015 Goal: $10,000

Please help us reach our goal by donating to the link below...
 
Http://BatonRouge.info-Komen.org/goto/BRKidsFightingCancer

 

To say that I am proud of my students is an understatement!

 In the years following our $10,000 success story, our students have continued to show their support for the Breast Cancer community, but it's time that we attempt a repeat!

 

I have again made the agreement that if the community helps us raise another $10,000 I will cut off 10 inches of my hair. However, this time my 7 year old daughter and a fellow friend/co-worker have agreed to do the same.

 The students are making and

 selling t-shirts to raise money within the school, they are learning excellent craftsmanship in their Graphic Arts class.  

 

 

The owners of Painting and Pinot have been very gracious by giving up their time and supplies to help our students paint fleur de lies breast cancer symbols. The students plan to donate the paintings to Breast Cancer survivors.  

 We hope that each of you will either join our team and attend the race with us or at least make a donation towards our team!
 
Http://BatonRouge.info-Komen.org/goto/BRKidsFightingCancer

Southeast Middle School raises $10,000 for Breast Cancer

Please start at the bottom to read our whole story.

Since I’m a MATH teacher it’s only fitting to put this as an addition problem.

938 Students

Southeast faculty

Wonderful friends

+ A Supportive community

$10,000 +

We have accomplished our goal of $10,000.  However until we find a cure we have not won the fight!

Please feel free to continue to donate to this wonderful cause on behalf of our school.

Http://BatonRouge.info-Komen.org/goto/BRKidsFightingCancer

From the bottom of our hearts… THANK YOU!

Much love,

Michelle & Annabella Perk, Mollee Vicknair, and all the Southeast Cougars

The cutting ceremony

Friday morning Annabella, (my daughter) Regina (my best friend that drove in from TX), and I walked into the Southeast Middle School front office.  Everywhere you looked you saw students in PINK!  No, not just the girls but the boys as well.  Teachers were wearing their shirts that I had created and the kids together looked like a sea of pink. 

As the students went through the breakfast line teachers and Annabella walked around with PINK jack-o-lantern buckets that the students put more money into.  One student who didn’t have much money gave all the money that he had… $0.06 and he gave it with every bit of pride that his heart could stand.  It almost brought me to tears because he was truly giving!


As they filed into the gym you could see the pride on the students faces because they knew they had done something tremendous.  
The ceremony started off with a 7th grade student, named Megan Sharp, reading a poem for the 1,000+ people that she had written about cancer. It was a beautiful poem and the students cheered with so much enthusiasm because one of their own had created something so inspiring.


After that my mother, Mollee Vicknair spoke to the students thanking them for all that they had done.  In that gym were 938 "inner city" students, that most people consider a statistic, sitting there SILENT!  They were respectful and considerate beyond anyone’s expectations.  It was so quiet that you literally could have heard a pin drop.  At that moment they knew they were listening to a woman that they had just helped.  They knew right there and then that they had made a difference in her life. 

Those 938 "inner city" students, that people only hear bad things about...had just done something close to a miracle.  After my mother finished speaking she received an extremely loud, almost deafening round of applause, and some of the students even stood up to support her.


Next followed, Janet Dewey-Kollen, Executive Director Baton Rouge Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure, spoke to the students.  She reinforced how impressed that she was by the students determination to achieve this tremendous goal. 


Finally it was time for me to lose my hair.  I promised the students that one of them would be able to cut 10 inches off my hair to donate to someone that had lost their hair due to chemo.  The name was drawn and DeJah Joseph, an 8^th grade girl, was chosen to do the cutting.  I had taught DeJah last year so I knew (or thought) my hair was in good hands.  The students cheered as she asked them if they were ready.  They started to yell “Cut it, cut it” as Annabella bobbed her head in rhythm with the chant. 


A second later I heard…SNIP, SNIP, SNIP!  Then it was over.  I had fulfilled my promise and so had my students.  The only little issue was, that DeJah hadn’t cut it straight!    10 inches off the right side, 12 inches off the left side, and 14 inches off the back.  YEP…14 inches off the back!!! J


It was well worth it and I would do it again all over.  That day I realized how proud I am to be a teacher.  I realized how proud I am to work at Southeast Middle School where the teachers not only fosters their education, but their spirits.  I realized that I LOVED all 938 students that made this possible and that they will always be my kids, not my students…MY KIDS!!


So, to those of you that consider my kids only a statistic…THINK AGAIN!!  Because in 2 weeks they have raised almost $6,000 and we are more than half way to our goal of $10,000.  They are making a difference in the fight against Breast Cancer!

And to those of you that have donated online on behalf of our students... I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! 


These children have shown us heart, courage, and determination which are all qualities that we need more of in this world. 


The students at Southeast Middle School are creating the change that we want to see in this world.  Please help encourage them in any way that you can.  

To Donate go to:  Http://BatonRouge.info-Komen.org/goto/BRKidsFightingCancer

A very proud teacher,
Ms. Perk



                      Before                                                                              

After

De'Jah cutting my hair extremely uneven ;)

My mother speaking to the students as they sat silently listening!



 

Students fighting for a Cure

As a teacher it’s my job to help my students to learn math, but as a person—I want to teach them compassion and how to become advocates for those in need.

A 12 year old can’t necessarily relate to curing cancer, but they can relate to helping a single individual—and my mother has been their focus to do something for the greater good—I think it’s wonderful and so does my mom that we can serve as a catalyst to, hopefully, foster this in their future.

I decided to create this event because my students encouraged me to! It wasn’t my idea, I just helped them with the planning---and I think that speaks volumes for the heart these kids have. All too often, we only hear about how bad kids are today—its our job to bring out the good and that’s what this event is doing.

I can grow my  hair back, but I can’t re-create the heart that these students are showing to me, my mother and all of those people battling cancer.

Woman’s Hospital has donated pink “Superhero” bracelets to the kids for some positive reinforcement. If the community wants to reach out as well and show these young women and men that their efforts count—we welcome any donations, support, encouragement, or acknowledgements.

Http://BatonRouge.info-Komen.org/goto/BRKidsFightingCancer

Our story!

For those of you that don't know my name is Michelle Perk, I am a 6th grade math teacher at Southeast Middle School in Baton Rouge, LA.  Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month our school has decided to do a fundraiser to support the women going through this disease.  My mom is a 2 time breast cancer survivor that is now battling lymphoma.  She is 55 and this will be her 3rd time struggling with cancer. On October 1, my mother, Mollee Vicknair, was in the local paper to start off the October Breast Cancer edition promoting awareness and support.

After reading the article my students kept asking how they could help, so as a class we came up with a plan.  Next week Oct. 10-15 we will be raising money.  Students who participate in raising money will wear pink shirts on Friday.


On that Friday, October 15 the student’s name that is pulled will be able to cut 10 inches off my hair in front of our 900+ students to donate.  My mother and my 3 year old daughter will also be there at this event to show the students that some women can survive the battle. 

80% of our student population is considered low income according to federal guidelines and they still want to give and take part in contributing to finding a cure.  They know that they can only raise so much, but they would love to have businesses and sponsors match their donation or step up and donate themselves. 

They are hoping that their participation will motivate the community to take part in giving to help others.  They want to prove that no matter where they come from or the struggles they face, they CAN change the world.  Our kids make a difference everyday and they are trying to start by helping women in our community. 

Anything you could do to help would be wonderful. Susan G. Koman is a great cause, but our students being proud that they accomplished a goal is an equally great cause!! 

Here at Southeast we consider our students our own children, and our staff would love nothing more than to see our kids flourish at something, especially when it can show how much heart they have. I hope you or one of your associates could come and support this cause. 

Please feel free to donate.  The deadline for money will be on October 31, since that will be the last day of the Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Please click on the follwing link...

Http://BatonRouge.info-Komen.org/goto/BRKidsFightingCancer

You can also mail your donations directly to our school...

Southeast Middle School
Attn: Michelle Perk
15000 S Harrells Ferry Rd
Baton Rouge, LA 70816-2999

Checks need to be made out to Susan G. Koman and in the memo line please write Southeast Middle School.


Please help our students reach their goal of $10,000 by next Friday!  It would really show our students that kids make a difference and they will be the change that we want to see in the world!

Don't disappoint these kids by letting them go at this alone...step up and help them meet their big goal!

With all the hope in my heart,
Michelle Perk

The Inspiration for the Idea

Below are a few pictures of my students reading the article that sparked this amazing idea.  On October 1, 2010 my mom was in the local newspaper in recognition of her fight with Breast Cancer.  I brought copies for each student to read.  After they finished reading the article they decided that they wanted to help.  At the time this idea hadn't been hatched, however a smaller but equally inspirational idea had.

My 6th grade students decided that they HAD to help and they did just that. One student asked if she could make a card for my mother, which I knew would help my mom keep her spirits up.  After that the ideas just started to snowball.  The classes then made cards, not just for my mother, but for other cancer patients that were also going through chemo. 

We ended up with over 100 cards that the students had made.  I sent the cards to my mother to bring with her the next time that she goes to chemo, at the end of October.  How surprised do you think these women will be to receive cards made from kids they have never met?   People always ask for a miracle, I can almost guarantee that the day my mom passes out the cards miracles will be happening.  Women going through the dramatic and terrifying process of chemo will receive a special card made just for her.

My students inspire me every day and I HOPE they inspire you as well.

With all the hope in my heart,

Ms. Perk

Http://BatonRouge.info-Komen.org/goto/BRKidsFightingCancer