By Jarrad Hedes

jmhedes@tnonline.com

Old man winter still has his grips tightly around the area, but in between the days off, plenty of good things have been happening in several of our local school districts.

In Palmerton, high school students raised well more than $18,000 during its first Mini-THON to benefit pediatric cancer patients. The amount shattered the school’s modest goal of $7,500.

Students stayed on their feet for 12 hours, 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., while dancing and playing games from Kan Jam to Twister, and Family Feud to Wii dance contests.

By Sunday morning, it did look like the night took its toll on a few of the students, but the adults seemed to respond well. There is still no word on whether that is because they sneaked away for a few winks from time to time.

Whatever the endeavor, the Palmerton community always seems to respond, and this event was no different. Hopefully it can continue and the school can build on its efforts to help the children who can use it most.

Speaking of the high school, guidance counselor Vicki McHugh was recently honored by the Lehigh Carbon School Counselors Association as “Counselor of the Year.”

Showing just how much of a rock star Vicki is, a video posted on the Times News Facebook page of her receiving the award had 517 reactions (all of them positive), comments and shares at last check. Palmerton is lucky to have someone making such a positive impact on students.

Friday marked Read Across America Day and I was honored to be a guest reader at Towamensing Elementary. Not only was it “Dress as Your Favorite Storybook Character” day, but Towamensing’s student council presented Tammy House, who was also a guest reader, with a $200 check for the Raising The House Foundation in memory of her husband and beloved former teacher Blaine House. The money was raised during the school’s January “Spirit Day.”

This week also marked Jump Rope For Heart in many area schools. I made a stop out to Lehighton, where the annual event took place for the first time in the new elementary center.

While it is a first in that sense, it is also a finale for Larry Koons, who is retiring after more than 20 years as a physical education teacher.

Voting has ended for the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing video contest, which has gained in popularity every year. Teams of students from Palmerton, Lehighton, Jim Thorpe, Panther Valley and Northern Lehigh visited area companies to make videos about that particular business. Awards were handed out Tuesday night. L.B. Morris Elementary School in Jim Thorpe, which worked with Heritage Sign and Display, tied for Outstanding Career Pathway.

Keep up the good work, everyone.