SDA teamed up with student bands and organizations to raise over $1,800 for Conner’s Cause on Feb. 25. Students, teachers, and parents made donations through admission to the Academy-hosted event and participating in a silent auction, cake walk, and helping paint or purchasing art wall tiles.
This is the second year that SDA has hosted an event for Conner’s Cause, a local charity created by the friends and family of Conner Champ after he died of brain cancer in 1994 at age four. Conner’s Cause collects money from individual businesses and organizations, such as the Academy, and distributes it to families with a child suffering from a life-threatening disease or injury.
SDA student bands Simple Green, Yours Truly, Creative Conspiracy, Tan Sister Radio, Del Sol, and Kelp provided entertainment while Kotija Jr., Jersey Mike’s, and Jamba Juice fed attendees and the Mosaic Café sold merchandise.
Participants in the cake walk had the chance to win cakes from the Homeroom Olympics cake-baking activity, in which Homerooms could win points by donating a cake for Saturday’s event.
Other activities included a silent auction with baskets donated by school clubs, an art wall, and face painting by SDA’s (Gay-Straight Alliance).
Attendees noted that turnout was significantly smaller than last year’s event, during which Switchfoot lead singer John Foreman performed for students. “Everyone really got into the spirit of the event, but I would have loved to see a larger turnout from the community as well because that would have brought up the energy level for all of us,” said sophomore Cassidy Mayeda
Said ASB supervisor Rod Keillor, “Maybe next time we’ll host the event right after a school day instead of over the weekend, similar to the homecoming carnival. Students would already be at school instead of coming all the way from somewhere else.”
Despite lower attendance, students seemed to enjoy the event. “It was so much fun! Everyone there was smiling and relaxing and just enjoying themselves. I will definitely come again next year,” said sophomore Laura Breidenthal.
“We’d definitely like for it to become an annual event at SDA,” said Keillor.