West junior competes for LLS Student of the Year

By Jen Cowart
Posted 2/22/17

By JEN COWART Cranston West junior Mia Marcello is competing to be the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Student of the Year for 2017. Inspired by last year's CHSW senior who won the title, Maddie Renaud, Marcello knew this was her way to be able to help

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West junior competes for LLS Student of the Year

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Cranston West junior Mia Marcello is competing to be the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Student of the Year for 2017.

Inspired by last year's CHSW senior who won the title, Maddie Renaud, Marcello knew this was her way to be able to help make a difference for others. The winner receives a $10,000 scholarship, and Marcello knows that the prize would help her in her pursuit of a degree in the medical field when she goes to college in the fall of 2018.

A few weeks ago she began her campaign, competing against students from all over Rhode Island who also hope to make a difference. The competition requires the students to raise as much money as possible, by planning a wide variety of fundraising events. Each student sets their own personal goal for fundraising, and this year Marcello has set a goal of $40,000.

"Last year Maddie raised $37,000, so I set my goal to be a little bit higher than that," Marcello said. "I've been planning lots of events and getting a lot of donations, too."

Marcello has a team of students who are helping her, including classmates Sara Lancelotta, Leah Lancelotta, Megan Kenneally, Marina Moceri, Cassie Giarrusso, Alayna Harvie and Marcello's mother, Holly.

"They're helping me to raise money and they each have their own events pages, but only I can see the total being raised along the way," she said.

With just six weeks in which to do all of her fundraising, Marcello and her team jumped in and started right away planning a wide variety of events designed to appeal to all different audiences and participants.

"We just held a Zumba boot camp and a Launch Trampoline Park night already, and we have a scavenger hunt coming up on Feb. 25 at Briggs Field from noon to 5 p.m., and a lip sync battle on March 2 at Wrights Farm from 5 to 9 p.m. We also have a really big event that everyone is looking forward to, which is a hot dog eating contest on Monday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Cranston West," she said. "Lots of the teachers are taking part in the hot dog eating contest along with the students, and everyone is getting really excited for that. The mayor will be there for it."

A vendor fair fundraiser took place on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Elks Club No. 2359 in Smithfield, which will have many participating vendors, and several restaurants are also hosting dedicated dining nights during which a portion of their profits will be donated to Marcello's fundraiser. Those restaurant events include Applebee's (March 1 from 4 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), Chipotle (Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 pm), Chelo's (March 2), and Minerva's, which took place on Feb. 2.

Marcello said she is very thankful for the support of her principal, Tom Barbieri, who has allowed one stairwell wall in the school to be dedicated to the cause as well. Students can now purchase a spot on the wall to make their handprint, which they can also sign, as a way of showing their support for Mia and the LLS cause. The students will also receive a small gift for their purchase.

On March 4, a gala will take place at the Kirkbrae Country Club, at which time the winner for this year's LLS Student of the Year will be announced. Marcello is hopeful that she will be this year's winner. You can find more information on her Instagram page, lls_teammia, or by checking out her Twitter page, lls_fortitude1.

To donate directly to her cause, visit her event page at events.lls.org/pages/ri/risoy2017/mmarcello or her Gofundme page at www.gofundme.com/mias-leukemia-lymphoma-campaign.

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