The Pleasant Valley Mini-THON was an overwhelming success this year raising $58,362 for the Four Diamonds Fund.

“Our hope as a school and as a district is that working together and collaborating to raise awareness and funds will result in a cure for childhood cancer,” said Cassandra Herr, principal of Pleasant Valley Intermediate School.

“Most importantly, our students learn how to support one another and a cause that is greater than themselves.”

Students at Pleasant Valley’s four district buildings raise money for the Four Diamonds Mini-THONs throughout the school year. Each of the schools had set a goal of $10,000, and each exceeded its goal.

Friday was designated as this year’s activities day when the lower schools revealed the totals to date. The big community reveal was held Saturday afternoon at the high school.

Pleasant Valley Elementary School raised $12,628, the intermediate school raised $14,165, the middle school raised $20,210 and the high school raised $11,359.

Middle school Principal Rocco Seiler said additional activities are planned for the rest of the school year and that the actual totals won’t be known until June. The middle school SGA/ National Junior Honor Society has a Jester (Fun) Run planned for April.

Four Diamonds Associate Director Alek Tomazin, who acts as the liaison to the schools participating in Mini-THONs, was on hand Friday and made her way to all of the schools to support the students and to see firsthand how the students were participating.

Tomazin said that the Four Diamonds Fund was partnered with Penn State and Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey exclusively, but through its research efforts and partnerships, all childhood cancer centers can benefit from the money that is spent on trying to find a cure for childhood cancer.

“At Penn State Children’s Hospital our social workers work on contacting families of children whose primary doctor works out of the hospital there,” Tomazin said. “These families don’t have to apply to us, we seek them out, and as long as the patient is under the age of 22, live in the state Pennsylvania and are being primarily treated at Hershey Children’s Hospital, Four Diamonds covers the cost of their care.”

The Mini-THONs were born out of the Penn State THON, which has raised more than $147 million to date. This year’s fundraising culminated this weekend with a 46-hour dance marathon and the reveal of $10,151,663 raised.