Every January, Watson students get involved in Math-A-Thon, a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This year students raised a whopping $4412.01 to donate to families in need at St. Jude.
“We decided this year that the top five students who brought money in would earn a prize. In the past, all of the kids would earn a prize, but we found out that takes away money that is made for St. Jude so we decided as a committee that we were going to eliminate some of the prizes,” second grade teacher Mrs. Chris Mikuly said. “This year, we had enough money to send four adults and four children airfare so they wouldn’t have to pay.”
The money raised through Math-A-Thon provides funds for patients’ treatment, travel, food and housing so that the patients “do not have to pay a dime,” according to Mikuly. With help from Mikuly and fellow committee members Mrs. Dana Carr, first grade, Mrs. Karen Radencic, third grade, and Mrs. Rita Evanson, third grade, Watson has successfully been participating in Math-A-Thon for years.
“We’ve been doing this since 1983 I believe, so right now we’ve made over $89,000 since then. We’re really proud of that,” Mikuly said.
Although Watson gives back to the community in numerous ways, Math-A-Thon is a favorite of Mikuly’s and other teachers’.
“We keep pushing to the kids to give back, to give back, give back. What I like about Math-A-Thon is it incorporates math with it. Instead of just asking kids to bring in money, they are actually donating some of their time through math,” Mikuly said.