Pennsbury Students Raise $45,000 During Mini-THON

Jenna Dzelzgalvis, Kate Goldinger and her cousin Elena
Credit: Ann Langtry/Pennsbury School District

Pennsbury High School’s mini-THON surpassed expectations and blew away the assembled dancers on Saturday night.

The group raised about $45,005.49, surpassing their $40,000 goal by five thousand. This was the third year the high school held the mini-THON.

“It isn’t that I didn’t expect it, but $40,000 is a lot of money,” started Jenna Dzelzgalvis, the senior co-chair for Pennsbury’s Mini-THON efforts.

Dzelzgalvis has been a part of the effort since the beginning. She first learned about THON from her older sister.

“I’m so excited to see how this event grows,” Dzelzgalvis said. She is attending Penn State in the fall and will be joining the THON effort there, but plans to stop back next year if her schedule allows it.

The Pennsbury mini-THON is molded after Penn State’s dance marathon even and raises money to fight against pediatric cancer and teaches event management skills.

“I love it and am looking forward to next year already,” said Kate Goldinger, the junior co-chair for the event.

Goldinger has a personal attachment to the purpose behind the fight. Her cousin Elena, 4, is a childhood cancer survivor.

“The idea that the students have the idea and mentality of service above self is incredible,” said Dr. William Gretzula, the superintendent of Pennsbury.

Support from the district also comes from the faculty co-advisors, Meaghan Cappelloni and Justine McEachern, who have advised the group of students since the inception of the mini-THON three years ago.

According to McEachern, about 400 students registered or made donations and nearly 300 came to dance on Saturday.