Although October may conjure thoughts of pumpkins and ghosts, it is also National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and our school has made efforts to help raise awareness, hosting a number of events to spread the word.

On Oct. 13, the field hockey team organized a bake sale on the turf, and the girls varsity soccer team had a special game on Oct. 16 in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Instead of wearing their usual game attire the soccer team donned pink shirts that read, “KICK CANCER.” Each team member brought in money to fund the t-shirts, and their coach, Ms. Lauren Bishar, supplied the shirts.

“By wearing pink, the girls’ varsity soccer team is showing their support for breast cancer awareness,” said freshman Ava Sann.  “We are wearing pink so wherever we see the color we will think of all the people fighting the disease.  We are trying to unite as a team and ‘kick cancer.’”

Members of the girls lacrosse team sold baked goods during their senior game on Oct. 13.  The money raised was donated to Play4theCure, a branch of the National Foundation for Cancer Research.  The cause hits close to home for the girls lacrosse team as three team members have mothers who have had breast cancer.

The boys and girls volleyball teams also supported Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  They sold paper cutouts to hang in the gym for $1, which were donated to breast cancer.  Donators had the option to write either their own names, or the names of loved ones affected by cancer.  These paper cutouts were visible for everyone to see during their annual “Dig Pink” volleyball event.  Team members also went out to various stores asking for donations to raffle at the end of their game against Massapequa.  Both boys and girls showed their support by wearing pink to the game.

“Dig Pink always brings a sense of excitement.  Crowds come to watch the game and the energy in the gym is off the charts,” said senior Kevin Hazan.

Along with events organized by sports teams, a speaker from the Maurer Foundation came to speak to junior health classes during the week of Oct. 10.  A non-profit organization, the Maurer Foundation emphasizes the importance of early detection through self-evaluations.  The speaker brought in models of breasts to show the students the differences in lumps. The Maurer Foundation has visited Schreiber for the past ten years to educate students about breast cancer.

“I really found the presentation that the speaker gave to be informative,” said junior Morgan Cirker.  “I never really thought about the dangers which breast cancer poses, and it never occurred to me that I should actively look for signs.  I learned so much about ways to lower my risk of breast cancer, and how to know if there is a potential problem.”