Niles High School students spent last week helping to raise awareness and funds to fight cancer during the school’s annual Pink Week.

In the hallways of the school and at sporting events, pops of bright pink color in the form of football jerseys and T-shirts were among the ways students showed support.

The week’s events were organized by the Students Against Destructive Decisions group, a chapter that encourages youth leadership and community involvement. The student chapter is led by special education teacher Karissa Young.

Young said students started the Pink Week project around 2009 when they wanted to initiate a way to help local cancer patients. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, students felt it would be a good month to bring awareness, but not just to breast cancer, but all forms of cancer.

“Now this has grown and the community expects it,” Young said.

Last year, students raised almost $1,300 for the cause. This year, the goal was to raise $2,500.

By Thursday afternoon, students had raised around $1,200. A final tally of the funds raised will be available this week.

Typically, students will vote after funds are collected on which cancer fighting organization to donate to. Students always pick local organizations that support families in the area.

This year, funds raised during Pink Week will be donated to two local cancer patient support organizations: Hope Grows and the Brian Parker Memorial Foundation.

The Brian Parker Memorial Foundation honors a former Niles student who succumbed to leukemia in 1980. The organization donates 100 percent of proceeds to cancer-related efforts. A portion of donor dollars help fund research efforts at the University Notre Dame, Indiana University, the University of Michigan and Lakeland Hospital. The Brian Parker Foundation also aids families undergoing cancer treatment.

Hope Grows is a collaboration between the Niles-Buchanan YMCA and Lakeland Health. The relatively new organization is most well-known for its annual luncheon, which helps raise funds for cancer research and support for families battling cancer through the Marie Yeager Cancer Center of Lakeland and the YMCA’s LIVESTRONG program.

“[Students do this] just to give back to the community and be able to help and show that kind gesture to others,” Young said. “So many times, our kids are not only giving money, they are encouraging other kids to participate.”

The project also shows that even if students do not have spare money to donate to the cause, they can still help in other ways, Young said.

On Thursday, SADD students hosted the annual cancer walk, where students pay $1 to walk the track. Proceeds from the event supported the fundraiser.

Rounding out the week on Friday, students continued to collect money during the football game. Football players donned pink jerseys. At halftime, students did a Mad Dash for Cash, where they ran through the bleachers collecting donations.

New to fundraising efforts this year, a raffle took place and items donated from local businesses were auctioned off.

“It’s nice to see students stepping up,” Young said.