North Side Makes the Season Bright for Kids Surviving Cancer

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Record Number: 18923
Displayed from: Nov 27, 2019 , until: Jan 27, 2020

North Side High School is preparing for the 33rd annual Christmas Party for Kids Surviving Cancer. The celebration for children who have battled cancer and their families will be from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at North Side, 475 E. State Blvd.

North Side students and staff work with Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana to host the party. This year, 24 families with 77 children are expected to attend the party, which will include food, open gym, crafts, games, performances by North Side’s Dance 5 and Show Choir and a visit from Santa.

Students and staff raise money throughout the year to host the event. Students adopt a family by shopping for Christmas presents for the children in the family, wrapping the presents and attending the event alongside their designated family.

Preparing for the party includes raising money, making contacts with community members for donations, shopping for gifts for each child in every family attending, wrapping the gifts and organizing entertainment. Dozens of students from several student groups, including those focused on community service, as well as those connected to the arts and academics, participate in raising money for gifts and organizing the annual event.

“Our students and staff look forward to this event each year,” said Cassidy DeCook, the teacher sponsor for the event. “It takes many hours of fundraising, organizing, shopping and wrapping, but the reward of seeing the children and their families having a great time as the party is well worth it. Students who have participated multiple years can’t wait to see families they’ve met in previous years and catch up.”

With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.