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Carrollwood Day School Students Paint Campus Pink

Tribune photo by CANDACE C. MUNDY

Carrollwood Day School faculty and students planted more than 1,500 pink flowers on the school's two campuses and participated in a Walk for the Cure to benefit breast cancer research.

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 27, 2008

Updated: 09/26/2008 05:31 pm

TAMPA - Julie Nohra did not want to cry, but when she looked out over hundreds of children dressed in pink for a cause close to her heart, her voice broke.

She took in the stage, decorated in giant plywood breast cancer ribbons the seventh grade painted and ribbon drawings the elementary classes colored. She thought of her mother, who died of lung cancer in 2000.

She tried to talk, but couldn't. The Carrollwood Day School students sat in complete silence as they waited. Nohra, a sixth-grade math teacher at the school, said later that maybe it was good for the children to see her emotion and understand how cancer can affect everyone, even teachers.

Carrollwood Day School turned itself pink on Thursday to kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, held in October. Children from toddlers to teens planted pink impatiens, tied ribbons around trees, laid stepping stones with messages of love and strength and carried banners as they marched around the school track.

Since Labor Day, the private school's early childhood campus and its elementary, middle and high school have been raising money for cancer research and creating crafts to increase awareness.

Student pledges, a movie night and a cookbook the middle school made have brought in between $8,000 and $10,000 so far, Nohra said. The money will go to the Florida Suncoast Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Melissa Johnson, a Komen volunteer and Nohra's sister in law, told the students during an assembly that their response had overwhelmed her. Her mother, Sondra Newcom, is a breast cancer survivor, and Johnson said a grant the Komen organization funded helped develop the medicine that saved her mother's life.

"People who are diagnosed today, they win. Every single day, they win," Johnson said to students. "And it's because people like you do projects like this."

Carrollwood Day School connected with the cause when Johnson and Nohra began planning the Komen Suncoast affiliate's first "pink tie gala," to be held in February. The women were talking about how to get children involved, and Nohra suggested her school.

Her colleagues liked how it linked to the International Baccalaureate program, which is offered from preschool to high school and emphasizes community service at all levels.

Their elementary and middle school principal, Trudi Buscemi, also is a cancer survivor, and students gave her a standing ovation at the assembly. Nohra praised her perseverance.

"This is not about me," Buscemi said, thanking the students. "This is about all the people who survive cancer."

Nohra knew the students would be able to relate to the cause, as cancer had touched many of their families. Though she knew the fundraiser would give them a way to express themselves and raise money, she said the best part was the students' excitement.

Nine-year-old Quinn Birmingham printed her grandmother's name, two-time cancer survivor Betsy Milin, in pink chalk on the sidewalk. Megan Campbell, 10, planted five flowers — four for female relatives who were dealing with cancer and one extra — and collected $40 from her family to donate.

Lindsay Gibson, 12, made a sign, "Help Support Paint the Campus Pink," to carry during a walk around the school track.

Abby Akers, 9, sat on the ground coloring in "PINK" on the sidewalk with her friends. She said she was happy to participate, but was sad to know so many people had gotten sick. Her classmate Sydney Ross, 9, said she felt good helping people.

Seventh-grader Alex Schweitzer said it was tough to see her former teacher, Nohra, struggle with her emotions during the assembly. But it made her realize how important the school's activities were.

"They make me feel like a better person," said Alex, 12.

For Nohra, the day made her think about a time her mother had discovered the support behind her. Mary Johnson was the principal at the Academy of the Holy Names and worked through her treatment. One day a girl rushed into her office to tell her to break up a fight in the auditorium.

When Johnson got there, she saw the entire school waiting for her, wearing hats in solidarity for Johnson losing her hair. It symbolized the school standing strong behind her, Nohra said.

She hoped Carrollwood Day School's efforts did the same: "It is our way to say that we stand behind all of those who struggle with cancer."

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.

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