Stimson Students Walk to Raise $1,500 for Breast Cancer Research

Stimson Middle School seventh grader Sophia T. has a clear message for anyone fighting breast cancer: “Never give up and believe in yourself. You're stronger than you think.” On October 19th, Sophia joined more than 200 of her classmates and teachers for Stimson’s third annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk to ensure patients and families know they never have to walk alone. 

 

The middle school inaugurated the event in 2024 as part of its renewed focus on getting students more involved in civic engagement, helping their community, and helping each other.  

 

“You have to think about the real world that kids are faced with every single day,” said Stimson Principal Michael Duggan. “It's not just the books they're reading and the math. It's these real-world things that kids are dealing with, and if we can show support for something like cancer, we can tackle anything. This is also teaching acceptance for kids who don't necessarily share their own issues that are going on because they're afraid of what people may think or that nobody understands. This is really just another way to teach them to be aware of others and accept them for what they're going through.”

 

The walk took place at Stimson right after school, starting on the outdoor basketball court.  Wearing their pink with pride, students joined with teachers to walk the perimeter of the school’s large back field TWICE before finishing back at the basketball court. Some teamed up to walk or run together carrying a big, pink ribbon. Participants donated $5 to walk. 

 

They also raised money through the sale of special pink “United Against Breast Cancer” T-shirts and sweatshirts that students and staff were encouraged to wear every Wednesday throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

 

While some students were walking for a loved one, many were just taking part to show their support for others, like seventh grader Gabriella B. “It shows our respect for people that are battling [breast cancer], and by doing this, it shows that you care about them. It makes me feel relieved to know that our kindness is going to help someone,” said Gabriella. 

 

This year’s walk was another success, raising $1,500, bringing the event’s three-year total to $3,000. The money is being donated to Stand Up for Suzanne, a local non-profit founded in memory of Huntington resident Suzanne Sokolowski-Shea who passed away from metastatic breast cancer. Their funding supports breast cancer research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

 

Addressing Stimson’s focus on getting students involved in community causes, Assistant Principal James Tomeo spoke about how essential learning about civic responsibility is for middle schoolers in today's digital age. “It builds awareness so they understand that families within our community have been impacted by illness,” said Mr. Tomeo. “In today's society, kids are busy with outside-of-school activities like sports, video games, and social media, which can pull them away from community service. We have to work to strike a balance and help them understand the importance of giving back to something larger than themselves. Instilling that awareness at this age helps them become better citizens in the future.”

With strong participation from both students and staff, Stimson Middle School plans to continue hosting the walk each October to support local cancer research efforts and the South Huntington community.

 

Thank you to everyone who walked, donated, and helped bring our community together to support such an important cause! 

 

 

Participants donated $5 and wrote on pink ribbons to honor those who they were walking for. 

 

Teachers proudly wore pink as they participated in the walk around the middle school’s perimeter. 

 

With this year’s theme of being “United Against Breast Cancer,” some students ran together holding onto a long pink ribbon. 

 

Stimson students presented a check to Ms. Regina Caliendo, who will donate to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories in memory of friend and community member Suzanne Sokolowski-Shea who passed away from metastatic breast cancer.