Yough teachers take pies in the face — for a good cause
A fundraiser giving Yough High School students a chance to put a pie in the face of their “favorite” teacher in return for a donation raised $2,200 for the fight against cancer, a cause very near and dear to senior Haley Ucman.
Ucman and Yough's National Honor Society sponsored the “Pie in the Teacher's Face Contest” last Friday to raise money for the oncology unit at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, where Ucman was treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma when she was diagnosed with the cancer in December 2011.
As a cancer survivor two years in remission, Ucman, 17, said she had wanted to do something to focus attention on childhood cancer. Ucman got the idea for the fundraiser in September, which was designated as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by President Obama.
“Because of my experience, I want to give back,” said Haley, the daughter of Michael and Lorie Ucman of South Huntingdon.
Ucman's experience with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, began when she was diagnosed with cancer after becoming so weak she said she could not lift a glass of water – just days after performing as a high school cheerleader.
Working with National Honor Society adviser Jeffrey Betlan, she decided on the “whipped cream pie in the face” as the fundraiser, patterned after the popular social media challenge, “Whipping Childhood Cancer.”
The fundraiser was “wonderful, better than I ever expected,” Ucman said.
More than 15 teachers volunteered to be hit in the face with a whipped cream pie by students and then the field was narrowed to 10, Ucman said.
“They (teachers) were so wonderful about it. They were really on board. They were so awesome,” Ucman said.
The students responded as well, donating close to $1,000 in the first few days by purchasing 50-cent tickets to “vote” for their favorite teacher to get hit with a pie, Ucman said. The five teachers who got the most votes in a folder labeled with their name were: Susan Rogge, Jeanne C. Suehr, Stephanie A. Tierney, Tyler Dillinger and Stephen Ohler.
A drawing was held to select the students who smashed a pie in the face of the teachers after a homecoming pep rally in the high school gymnasium.
Ucman wants to continue her education by attending college, where she would like to pursue a career in the medical field, specializing in oncology.
“I want to inspire people and make a difference in some way,” Ucman said.
Joe Napsha is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at jnapsha@tribweb.com or 724-836-5252.
