Eileen Hummer collects change from couch cushions, night stands and glass jars around her home for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Washington, D.C.
For the past few weeks, she and 60 of her classmates at Seneca Ridge Middle School have been emptying their pockets into a glass jar for "Make Change for Change," a project created by her teachers, Shelby Salley, Madelyn Hetherington and Chris Souther.
"Every year, we are asked to create a team building activity," Salley said. "This year, we wanted to do a community service project."
Hetherington came up with the idea of donating money to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
She contacted Mary Angelo, a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society director, who gave her information about the two forms of cancer and how to help.
When Salley introduced the idea to her students, Hummer wanted to know how she could help.
Every morning, Hummer slipped pennies, nickels and dimes into the glass jar but she didn’t feel like she was doing enough.
"She was relentless in wanting to do more," Salley said.
HUMMER IS NO STRANGER to community service. Every Thursday, the 12-year-old volunteers her time to sell bingo tickets at the Ruritan Club in Sterling.
Now, she sets up her own glass jar next to her cash register there, to collect donations for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Hummer said she is motivated to help people who are diagnosed with cancer because it feels good to help someone in need. She has even gotten her friends on board.
"I try to explain to my friends that it feels a lot better to give then to get," she said.
Thirteen-year-old Gerry Pydeski said his favorite part of the project was making cards for children with leukemia and lymphoma.
FOR THE PAST few weeks, seventh-graders in Salley's, Hetherington's and Souther’s classes have been learning about all aspects of leukemia and lymphoma.
Souther, a life science teacher, explained to his seventh-graders the effects of leukemia and lymphoma on the human body.
Language arts teachers Hetherington and Salley helped students put their emotions into paragraph form. They also created cards for a seventh-grade student who has leukemia in the area.
"Some kids are less fortunate that us," Pydeski said. "It’s important to cheer them up."
Pydeski said he learned a lot about the diseases from his life science class.
"It opened my eyes," Pydeski said. "I used to get scared when I saw sick kids. Now, I don’t think I would be scared. I think I would try to be their friend."
SALLEY SAID THE project has brought students together.
"There are 63 ethnic groups represented at this school," she said. "We have a diverse team with one common bond. Everybody’s working together to raise money for a good cause."
"The money will go to a great cause," Hetherington said. "It might help some really sick kids. Kids our students’ age."
The students will collect change through December.
SENECA RIDGE Middle School students came together again to participate in a Turkey Trot Saturday, Nov. 11.
Students and their parents were asked to donate a canned good in order to run in the one-mile race around the school grounds.
"Our kids are doing wonderful things," Souther said.