Troy Students Fight Back Against Children’s Cancer

Inspired by a reading lesson, students at William B. Orenic Intermediate School in Plainfield found a sweet way to fight cancer.

In less than two weeks, kids raised $1,553.60 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, an organization that helps fund research on children’s cancers.

Fifth-grade special services teacher Patty Provance said her students were reading a short story about a lemonade stand when one youngster began asking about Alexandra Scott, the little girl behind Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Born in Manchester, Connecticut, in 1996, Alex was diagnosed with a neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, before her first birthday. As she battled the disease, Alex founded a lemonade stand to help raise money to help other kids.

Sadly, Alex passed away in 2004 at age 8, but her legacy continues with Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

“I did further research and shared the story with my students,” Provance said. “There students were so excited, they asked me to contact our principal, because they wanted to do this project.”

With the help of some local businesses, which donated lemonade, cups, coolers and ice, the students sold lemonade for 50 cents per cup during lunch periods from Jan. 14-25.

The result surpassed students’ expectations. “Our goal was $1,000,” Provance said.

On Feb. 7, students welcomed representatives of the Shorewood businesses that helped fund the lemonade stand. They presented plaques of appreciation to Jose Nieto of Applebee’s, Nancy Morales from McDonald’s and Karen Jensin of Chili’s, along with Ron Delacourt from the Shorewood Jewel-Osco.

The students also learned a few things.

“I learned that you can help someone who has cancer,” Morgan Gawlik said.

“I learned how to make money,” added classmate Giselle Lomeli, who also noted she learned how to make change for customers at the lemonade stand.