Kai Kicks Cancer
Student Council to help hold fundraiser for Tucker family
Senior Avery LeBlanc works in class while wearing her Kai Kicks Cancer bracelet.
Earlier this year, sophomore Kai Tucker was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. As he’s begun his treatment journey, KHS and the community have rallied around him. Many fundraisers have gone on to support Kai and his family through this challenging time. One of the many groups working to support Kai is StuCo.
“Kai is a very key member in StuCo and a good friend to everyone,” StuCo member Xsavier Ortiz said. “It’s really important to us to do our part and try to help him in any way we can.”
StuCo has started several school fundraisers to help raise money for Kai’s treatment. The first fundraiser they started was Hat Day on Feb. 2. Students were able to pay two dollars to their first-period teachers to wear a hat to school. StuCo was able to raise almost $900, which went directly to the Tucker family to pay for Kai’s medical expenses.
“I decided to donate and wear a hat because I thought that it was a cool way to support a great cause,” senior Kendall Trevino said. “I thought it was awesome to see so many students giving and showing their support.”
In addition to Hat Day, StuCo has created opportunities for the community to give back and support Kai by teaming up with the softball team.
“Coach Kirkpatrick and the softball team have graciously offered to let us collect money for Kai at home softball games,” StuCo sponsor Johna Tritt said. “The weather hasn’t really cooperated, but we feel like we’ll have a good chance to do that after spring break. Officers say we’ll have some student volunteers go out with a collection jar and a poster to see if we can raise some money for Kai.”
StuCo is continuing its fundraising efforts with a new project. They have just begun their main fundraiser of the spring, which is selling Kai Kicks Cancer bracelets.
“We think it’s a great way to show our care for Kai and his family,” StuCo member Janet Chavez said. “We thought it was a neat way for people to show support. They can even wear the bracelets at the Kai Kicks Cancer 5k.”
The bracelets are on sale now at the front office & with many teachers. Students who want to get involved and help raise money can buy a bracelet for three dollars.
“I think that any time we have a student at KHS that has a need then the student council has a responsibility to step in and help where we can, so when Kai was diagnosed we think it was just kind of natural to ask to do a fundraiser,” Tritt said. “We have raised money and supported many other students going through similar situations in previous years. I think we’ve got to give back to each other and this is a way that we can show teacher Amye Tucker and Kai and their family that we love them and support them and are praying for them. If it was one of us, we wouldn’t want to go through that alone.”
Student Council encourages all students to try their best to support Kai and his family.
“You can buy Bracelets. You can say a prayer,” Tritt said. “You can send an email to Kai because he still checks them. Just show your support and realize that none of this is ever planned.”