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KINGSTON — Students and faculty of the Wyoming Seminary Upper School returned to their childhood by using chalk to spread individual messages about breast cancer awareness along the pedestrian section of Sprague Avenue.
Messages of faith, hope, love and courage were scribbled within the campus between two large, pink ribbons, also drawn with chalk.
Some, like a drawing by the school’s hockey team, were simply in support of breast cancer research. Others were in memory of those who have lost the battle against breast cancer, or offered words of encouragement for those continuing the fight.
Sophomore Bella Stash, 15, wrote of victory.
She wrote the name of her aunt, Ann Granteed, whom, she said, won the battle against breast cancer. Sophomore Max Liebetrau, 15, wrote the name of his grandfather Russell, who died of cancer two years ago.
Lisa Mozeleski, coordinator of the school’s breast cancer awareness team, said the group has promoted breast cancer awareness for about 10 years. She explained students wanted to decorate the campus, but also promote breast cancer awareness.
“It was actually a student idea that we kind of took and ran with for this project,” she said.
Stash liked not only the chalk on the sidewalk, but also the efforts to raise awareness.
“I think it’s really great that they raise awareness about breast cancer, because it’s a tragic thing when someone is diagnosed with cancer of any type,” Stash said.
Other projects within the school to raise awareness this month include a carnation sale, a t-shirt sale for a dress-down day and a “Fight Like a Girl” photo collage featuring members of the school’s female athletic teams.
“This may be our biggest effort,” Mozeleski said, adding about 26 students helped on the different projects. “This is the first year we’ve had so many students involved in the project.”
Proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to Medical Oncology Associates in Kingston — specifically, Mozeleski said the funds would go to the organization’s medical prescription assistance fund to help pay for chemotherapy for those who can’t afford it.
This year’s effort is in memory of Peggy Zinkavich, an administrative assistant at Wyoming Seminary Upper School, who died of cancer in late summer.
Mozeleski said holding this year’s events in memory of Zinkavich added “extra meaning” for her and staff members who knew her.
Coming together
Stash saw each writing on Sprague Avenue as “pieces” of the school that came together to “form something great.”
For Liebetrau, he found a sense of support as he looked at all affected by the disease.
“When my grandfather died, it was hard because I thought I was alone, but you can kind of see how everybody has lost someone,” he said. “A lot of people have.”
Mozeleski said students could take messages of survival, as well as learn the magnitude of the disease they are working so hard to raise awareness for.
Most of all, she said students could find a sense of community within the writings.
“I see a unifying message of community and that, ultimately, we may be more connected than we think we are,” Mozeleski said.
