South Fayette High School's Mini-THON looks to continue record-setting pace

Penn State University's THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raises money to help fight childhood cancer. This year, $18 million was raised, with the money going to the Four Diamonds charity, which helps children fighting cancer.

More than 200 high schools across the country hold Mini-THON events modeled after THON, raising money for the same cause, and a school in the Pittsburgh area is the top fundraiser for all Mini-THONS. South Fayette High School raised more than $350,000 last year, and organizers hope to top that at this year's event on Friday.

There's a class at South Fayette High School called Honors Management and Marketing Applications, but in reality, it's where the planning happens. For eight months, 36 students raise money for kids with cancer, all leading up to the Mini-THON event.

One of the three senior Mini-THON leaders, Hannah Yeh, says she has learned, "definitely a lot of real-world soft skills, communication, professionalism, teamwork. A lot of what we do in here is group work."

The students raise money by asking friends and family, hosting fundraising events like spike ball tournaments and car washes, and organizing a fundraiser at every sport called Play For The Kids, and pitching corporate sponsorships.

 Luke Gillen, another senior Mini-THON leader, says, "We go out, call sponsors, go face to face, you know, work on selling and a lot of business aspects."

The students get the school excited by decorating the hallways leading up to Mini-THON day. The event begins with a community event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with food trucks, inflatables and family activities. And then about 800 students will participate in the overnight dance marathon and games until 6 a.m.

"Everyone just gets so involved, and it's really inspiring to see how many kids get involved," Yeh said. 

Through it all, the students learn about everything from social media marketing and t-shirt design to how to lead a group of people and how to make an elevator pitch.

Co-teacher Brandon Flannery says it sets up the students for success after they graduate.

"I think mostly because it's real world,"  Flannery said. "Mostly, it's that they're dealing with real dollars. They're dealing with real people. When they make that phone call, there is a person on the other side of it."

When you walk down the school hallway, you see how much the fundraiser has grown. Starting in 2013, when they raised $3,600, to 10 years later, they raised $336,140, breaking the national Mini-THON record. The next two years, they continued to break the record with  $338,205, and last year, $350,492. They hope to break it again this year and remain the top national fundraiser.

Mini-THON leader Paige Deklewa said, "Our number one goal is always to support the cause, to try to bring awareness to it, but our secondary goal is to just foster community, and I think we've done a really good job of that." 

The indirect lesson might be even more important than anything else they learn in school: that they can make a difference, whether it's helping kids with cancer or whatever they're passionate about.

Flannery said, "I think mostly I want them to learn the idea of empathy and how to give back. And even though we're not in a position to help the way that a doctor or a scientist or researcher could help, we can still help. And the biggest lesson is for them, they're in a position to help, and they do." 

If you'd like to support South Fayette High School's Mini-THON fundraiser and help them keep their title as the top Mini-THON fundraiser in the country for the fourth straight year, you can donate here.