St. Ursula Academy is proud to announce that two student teams that were competing in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) Students of the Year challenge raised nearly $137,000 during the two-month campaign. Both teams were honored on March 6 at LLS’s Grand Finale Celebration at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Toledo.

SUA President Mary Werner '74, "One Kick Wonders" team Kathleen Hurley '21 and Lucy Turner '21, and SUA Principal Nichole Flores '89 
 

The “One Kick Wonders” team of juniors Kathleen Hurley and Lucy Turner set a record for the contest, raising $85,946.03 and earning Students of the Year honors. As the official winners of the challenge, Lucy and Kathleen will split a $2,500 college scholarship. The other SUA team, “Coleman’s Cancer Crushers,” helmed by senior Kennedy Coleman, raised an additional $51,037.63.

SUA President Mary Werner '74, Kennedy Coleman '20, and SUA Principal Nichole Flores '89 
 

According to Cecilia Chaudhary ’96, LLS’s Campaign Specialist for Students of the Year, “because both teams raised more than $50,000, each will be able to connect the team’s name with a portfolio of research projects that focuses on a specific area of LLS’s mission that is meaningful to them. The students will receive regular updates on their project as it progresses. This is a wonderful honor for these girls!”

The Students of the Year campaign is designed to “foster professional skills such as entrepreneurship, marketing, and project management” in candidates as they work to raise funds for LLS. Students can work individually or as a group of two or three, and they must lead a multigenerational team. Candidates might create websites, write letters for donations, secure corporate sponsorships, hold fundraisers, or perform a variety of other tasks as fundraisers. 

Overall, the 2020 campaign raised more than $292,000 for LLS research and awareness.

The event’s mistress of ceremonies was Katie Lindbergh Peters, a ’97 SUA graduate. Lauren Deaton Dzierwa ’96, LLS’s 2018 Woman of the Year, also spoke at the event.

Event MC Katie Lindbergh Peters ’97
 

Chaudhary added that this campaign was the third of its kind in Toledo, and it was a record-breaking year, with 15 students participating and representing seven high schools.