Grade school students walking to make a difference

BY PAM STEVENS | EDITOR Mount Pilchuck Elementary School students pose for a picture. The students walk for breast cancer awareness with Mrs. Brenda Dykgraaf and Mrs. Carol Iffrig, two breast cancer survivors who teach at the school.

Drive by Mount Pilchuck Elementary School on a sunny afternoon and you will discover mobs of kids walking around the back field. These kids aren’t walking for their daily P.E. class, they are walking to support Breast Cancer Awareness and for Mrs. Brenda Dykgraaf and Mrs. Carol Iffrig, both teachers at their school and Breast Cancer survivors.

The second and third grade classes at Mt. Pilchuck have chosen to take part in their own 30 Day Walk for a Cure by walking two laps around the field for 30 days. These students have also received pledges from family for all of the laps they walk.

“Most kid’s parents are pledging money for every lap or two,” Neal McNaughton, a second grade student said. “All of the money they pledge goes to scientists who are going to look for a cure.”
So far, students at the school have received over $1,000 in pledge money. This money will go towards Dykgraaf’s 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk which will take place in September. Each participant will have to walk 20 miles a day and has to raise $3,000 to be able to walk in the 3-Day.

Students are learning valuable life lessons while enjoying time in the sun, chatting with friends.

“I like to talk and play True or False when I walk with my friend Sammie,” second grader Sarah Lavering said.

“My mom walks on the trail and goes for walks sometimes too,” Ellie Loukusa, second grader said. “I really want to say to my mom when she goes on walks or to the trail that you should think about your dad because he has had cancer and I really want to find a cure.”

Students and teachers started their “walk” on April 13 and will continue walking for the cure until May 22.

“We are doing this because we want to stop the cancer,” Nyssa Metcalf said.

If you would like to pledge money to the kid’s walk or to Dykgraaf’s 3-Day walk visit www.breastcancer3day.org go to donate and enter Brenda Dykgraaf in the name box. For additional questions you can call Dykgraaf at Mt. Pilchuck Elementary School at 425-335-1525.

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