St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recently announced the successful completion of the 32nd annual Math-A-Thon at Ellis Elementary School in Niles.

An educationally based fund-raising program, through Math-A-Thon, students in kindergarten through ninth grade obtain sponsors for the number of math problems completed in specially provided workbooks.

The program is sponsored nationally by Six Flags Theme Parks, which provides free passes to their parks for every student raising $35 or more.

The students who participate in the program learn to do more than just math problems but also the importance of helping children who are less fortunate than themselves. Through the Math-A-Thon, they are able to help provide a future for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Children with more than 200 forms of cancer and other catastrophic diseases find hope at St. Jude.

Since its founding in 1962by the late entertainer, Danny Thomas, the survival rates for most forms of pediatric cancer have risen dramatically. Today more than 70 percent of all children with cancer will survive their bout with the disease.

St. Jude fully credits these successes in treatment to the generous support of people around the world, including the students at Ellis Elementary School.

“We are very proud of our students for working so hard on the Math-A-Thon,” said Peggy Maiers, volunteer coordinator. “With their help, St. Jude Hospital will be able to create new treatments that may one day lead to a cure for many forms of cancer that will benefit the children of our state, our country and around the world.

“I also want to extend our thanks tot he Niles community for supporting our students,” Maiers said. “It takes all of us to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer and we can all feel proud of our response.”

First grade students at Ellis Elementary School have participated in the Math-A-Thon since 1988 and have raised $30,000 during that time. This year students raised $1,000 and student Kobe Scott raised the most with $250. Three children from Berrien County are receiving services from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
For more information, visit www.stjude.org.