Over the last several weeks, Pine Island students in kindergarten through fifth grade have worked diligently to solve math problems. This effort earned the students $1,957.36 to benefit the programs at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Each of the children was asked to find sponsors who would pledge a donation for every math problem solved correctly. When all of the math problems were completed, the children would collect the money with the total being donated to St. Jude.

The Math-A-Thon is an annual event that takes place nationwide to benefit St. Jude.

One of the participants was Kendal Talbott in Ms. Haines fourth-grade class who collected $125 in donations.

“It wasn’t that hard and it was kinda fun,” said Kendal.

Kendal will be eligible for prizes and hopes to get a soccer ball from St. Jude. She also considers herself a good math student.

Also participating was first-grader Anonda Rapp.

“I raised $160 for the kids at St. Jude and they sent me a radio. The problems were a little hard, but it was fun anyway,” said Anonda.

Participating in a different capacity was Tyler Davis, who is in Tina Garris’ fifth-grade class. Tyler was among the students who helped to grade the math papers of other students.

“I just like to help people and it is so sad that so many kids that young have cancer and this was my way of helping,” said Tyler.

In return for their efforts, the students also had a chance to earn prizes. Students raising $35 or more could win a Math-A-Thon T-shirt and a free pass to any of the Six Flags Theme Parks. Also up for grabs were shower AM/FM radios, soccer balls, speakers, portable radio and television sets, a one-gallon aquarium, binoculars, basketballs, footballs, CD players and more.

St. Jude is a research facility that has made numerous discoveries with regard to the treatment of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. No child is turned away from St. Jude because of an inability to pay, and it is America’s third largest health care charity. It keeps the cost of care and treatment down through charitable donations.

Based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude was established in 1962 by the late Danny Thomas. Today his legacy is continued through the efforts of his daughter, Marlo Thomas, who serves as the national outreach director for St. Jude.

Current St. Jude projects include clinical research on gene therapy, bone marrow transplants, biochemistry of normal and cancerous cells, resistance to therapy, hereditary disease, pediatric AIDS and the psychological effects of catastrophic illness.

St. Jude is the only pediatric research facility that is supported by a National Cancer Institute cancer center support grant and is dedicated to finding cures for children with catastrophic illnesses through research and treatment.