by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
All Saints Academy-St. Joseph campus students, faculty, staff and parents celebrated a Superhero Day April 28 to donate to the Nicolas P. Koenig H.E.R.O. Foundation, Tanner’s Team Foundation and the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital.
For a donation of $5, students and others could dress in superhero costumes.
The day included a panel of speakers for the fourth- through sixth-grade students followed by activities for preschool- through sixth-grade students in the afternoon.
Activities included superhero-themed things such as the Incredible Hulk super jump, superhero basketball shot, kryptonite relay, Wonder Woman bean-bag toss, Spiderman shell game, create-a-superhero shield and more.
Students were able to choose activities that were held on each of the school’s levels and rotated every 20 minutes.
At the end of the day, students gathered in the school gym to watch finalists for a hula-hooping contest, jump-roping (how many jumps per minute) contest and a cup-stacking contest. Two students from each grade (kindergarten-sixth) were selected prior to Friday to participate.
The event was coordinated by preschool teacher Cheri Burg and fourth-grade teacher Theresa Fleege.
Burg said their goal was to raise $1,000, but she is hoping to reach $2,000.
She said Superhero Day has been recognized since 1995 as a day to celebrate the “superhero” within children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
“We decided to piggyback on the hospital’s day and recognize the need for childhood cancer research,” Berg said. “It fits perfectly with our core values of care deeply, share generously, speak kindly and serve willingly. We also asked the All Saints Academy students to find superhero qualities within themselves.”
Berg said they chose the organizations because of how they help children. Shannon Koenig shared her story with students in fourth through sixth grade. Shannon and her husband started the Nicholas P. Koenig H.E.R.O. Foundation in memory of their son.
Nicholas was diagnosed with pulmonary atresia, meaning his pulmonary valve did not develop properly, and his heart was incapable of keeping blood flowing through his body. Before Nicholas was one month old, he received open-heart surgery. Nicholas later was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. After many medical procedures, including bone marrow/stem cell transplants, he died when he was 4 years old. The Koenig family wanted a way to honor their son, Nicholas, while making an impact in the lives of those affected by pediatric cancer. As a result, they created the Nicholas P. Koenig H.E.R.O. Foundation. H.E.R.O stands for Help and Encouragement on Rough Oceans.
Tanner’s Team Foundation is an organization that was recommended to All Saints Academy by one of its speakers. The foundation was created to help families with children who are fighting a life-threatening illness or serious injury. Tanner Fuls was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a form of pre-leukemia, and died when he was 11 years old. The organization works to help families in central Minnesota who have children with life-threatening illnesses.
The University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital is a world-recognized facility that is a leader in childhood cancer research.
Many people participated in wearing costumes for Superhero Day. Augie Rodriguez, the manager of the St. Cloud Rox baseball team, 12 students from Cathedral High School and parents volunteered for the event.
“The whole day was a lot of fun,” said sixth-grader Jackson Phillip. “I liked the speakers and the activities and learned some things about cancer that I wasn’t aware of. My favorite was cheering on my classmates during the competitions.”
“I liked the competitions because they were challenging,” said second-grader Peyton Phillip.
Sixth-grader Taylar Schaefer was a hula-hoop champion. She said she especially liked the final competitions and how everyone was cheering her on. Schaefer also thought the speakers were interesting and could relate to them because her grandma had cancer.
“I liked watching the final round of the competitions,” said kindergartener Zac Shaefer.
Sixth-grader Taylar Shaefer participates in the hula hoop final competition during All Saints Academy’s Superhero Day held April 28.
All Saints Academy principal Karl Terhaar (center) gathers with other superheroes (left to right) sixth-graders Taylar Schaefer and Samantha O’Donnell, fifth-grader Emma Zaun and sixth-grader Andrew Moneypenny at the photo booth April 28.
John Bruns and his preschooler daughter, Havi Bruns, posed at the photo booth during Superhero Day at All Saints Academy.
All Saints Academy fourth-graders (left to right) Austin Baird and Lily Schmitz, and third-graders Connor May and Treydan Smith participate in the cup-stacking competition during Superhero Day.
Some of the participants of Superhero Day at All Saints Academy are (left to right) Augie Rodriguez, manager of the St. Cloud Rox baseball team, first-grader Easton Frieler and St. John’s University student Andrew Steffenson. Steffenson spoke about cancer at the event.
