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Walk for One
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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1 response 0 comments Relay for Life has been a long-lasting dynasty in the Bakersfield community, having drawn  thousands of participants throughout the years.
This event is meant to encourage the discovery of a cure for cancer, help cancer patients deal with everyday life, and educate people about cancer with the help from residents nationwide. In Bakersfield, CSUB has been hosting the event since 2001, succeeding Garces High School.
Earl Warren Junior High has adopted a similar event that calls for students to raise money and walk around the school track during their lunch period. Much excitement can be felt that day, as Alex Medellin, a student, commented, “Everyone was coming together for a good cause, and everyone was working as a whole.”
Indeed, the students’ perseverance paid off as the money collected increased the school record to $11,835. The classes that contributed the most money were Mrs. Anderson’s math class for the seventh grade, having raised $1,378, and Mrs. Hodges’ class for the eighth grade with $885.
In addition to raising money and walking for the cause, students were required to creatively create a common classroom costume that they would wear when walking around the track.
In this area, Mrs. Hallum’s English class shone among the eighth grade and Mrs. Burt’s for the seventh grade. Both won the Most Spirited award.
The students in Mrs. Hallum’s class decided to masquerade as superheroes and chant “ONE! ONE! ONE!” as they walked around the track. Each of their purple capes, representing the color of the fight against cancer, was adorned with the picture of a cancer victim and a pink “1” in order to keep in line with this year’s theme, “Walk for One.”
Some might be astonished at the fact that junior high students were courageous enough to wear capes. However, the theme meant many things for different people, for many know the terrible perils that cancer can inflict upon a person. All of us know someone who has fought cancer.
Warren, as a whole, had its own personal reason to participate in this event, for many of its staff have courageously overcome this disease. Therefore, each student and staff member had their individual motive to walk for the cause.
When asked why he walked on the field, Prescott Leyba answered, “I donated money and walked for the cause because that represented my opinion that anything is possible if we stick together and work together.”
Whether nationwide or schoolwide, Relay for Life will unite all of those who believe in a common cause and will forever leave a mark in the fight against cancer.

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