RMS Meets Challenge & Raises $8,200

Teacher Buzz-Cuts her Hair after Middle School meets Fundraising Challenge

(June, 2007) Riverhead, NY – Riverhead Middle School English teacher Emily Sills issued a daring challenge: If the RMS students, faculty and staff raised $5,000 for the school’s Relay for Life team from April 19 to May 25, she would buzz-cut her curly brown hair. The final twist? The student lunch period that raisee the most money toward meeting the goal would get to witness the haircut live.

The middle school students and staff met her challenge and topped it. So far, they've raised $8,200 and are still going. (They raised about 1/8th of that total last year.) AND Ms. Sills got her hair cut--SHORT!

Riverhead Middle School Relay for Life team co-captains Danielle Good and Kristin Realander are thrilled. “This gave us the real boost of energy we needed for our fundraising efforts,” Good said of the challenge. Realander agrees. “I think this really got the kids excited about raising money for a great cause.”

Good and Realander created donation boxes for each of the school’s three lunch periods, hung posters promoting the challenge throughout the school and updated the building on money totals via the morning and afternoon announcements. Students were encouraged to donate, as well as teachers, faculty and staff.

“It’s great for our building’s sense of community to work together to reach a goal, particularly for such a good cause,” said building principal Andrea Pekar. Relay for Life benefits the American Cancer Society.

Ms. Sills had her head buzz-cut during the winning lunch period (Lunch Period 4). Ms. Sills called in a friend, Katherine Lennon, who owns Katherine & Company Salon and Spa in Westhampton Beach, to do the honors. The students in Lunch Period 4 raised over a $1,000, so they got to watch. Lunch Period Six thought they had it won, but then just a couple of days before the contest ended three middle school students, Anthony Liso, Corrine Matlock and Samantha VanDeurs, pulled what they termed a "sneak attack;" canvassed their Jamesport neighborhood and brought in $620!

“I was really nervous when it actually came time to get my haircut that short," explained Ms. Sills, who was having a hard time catching her breath. "But, it was for a good cause and the kids did a great job or working together,” she said. "We're hoping that the money will keep coming in and that we'll be able to reach $10,000."

Good and Realander welcome outside donations. Contacts: Danielle Good (631) 241-8767 / Kristen Realander (631) 404-6392. Please make checks payable to Relay for Life and send any donations to:

Relay for Life Team
Riverhead Middle School
600 Harrison Avenue
Riverhead, NY 11901

The Riverhead Relay for Life will take place at Riverhead High School on June 15-16. Any donations made after May 25 will not be included in the fundraising challenge, but will be welcomed by the team.

Photo caption: Katherine Lennon of Katherine & Company Salon and Spa in Westhampton Beach cuts RHS English teacher Emily Sills hair during Lunch Period 4, which brought in over $1,000 of the $8,200 raised for the Relay for Life. Pictured in the background are the RMS students who staged a sneak attack and brought in $620 just a day before the contest ended.

# # # #