Howell High School and the entire Howell Public Schools community are gearing up for Senior Survivor 2019.
This year’s 16 Senior Survivors will arrive at the school on Sunday, April 28, with the goal of raising enough money each day to remain in the competition throughout the week. Each day, the Senior Survivors will raise funds during the day and compete in immunity and reward challenges at night. At the end of the school day, the two students who raised the least amount of money will be eliminated and sent home. The student who turns in the most money on the last day of the competition will be named the winner of Senior Survivor.
The senior class has set this year’s fundraising goal at $100,000. The funds raised will be donated to North Star Reach, a medically supported camp that serves kids with chronic and life-threatening health challenges and their family members, all at no charge to them.
This year’s Howell High School Senior Survivors are Chloe Chandler (Team Chlochan); Lexi Garbacik (Team Bacik); Madelyn Gillett (Team Mad Money); Matt Hornyak (Team Matty Freeze); Dawson Kling (Team Kling-kong); Sarah Laughner (Team S’laughter); Isaak Miller (Team Money Mill); Ben Masters (Team Chicken Master); Shane Morrison (Team Sh’merica); Kallan Packard (Team Pack-attack); Seth and Sydney Ramonaitis (Team Ramo); Grace Snell (Team Snail); Darko Stavrev (Team D.N.A.); Liam Timmerman (Team Timmerdation); Paige Van Gordon (Team Rage Paige); and Jenna Wincher (Team J-win). Each Senior Survivor will be supported by a fifth-grade Junior Survivor at one of the district’s elementary schools. The Junior Survivors will support their senior partners by leading a coin drive in their schools.
New this year, the Howell High School student council is hosting a community-wide event to kick off Senior Survivor Week: The inaugural Senior Survivor Carnival will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, April 26, 2019, in the Howell High School Field House. The carnival activities will include games, inflatables, photo booth, arts and crafts, raffles, entertainment, and food. Admission is $10 per person (kids under age 3 are free), or you can buy a family pass for $30 (up to 5 family members from the same home.) An adult must accompany students in grade 8 or below. All proceeds from the carnival will go toward a scholarship in memory of Julianna Ward-Brown, a member of the Class of 2019 who passed away last year.
“We are very excited to support two outstanding causes with this year’s Senior Survivor. By helping to fund a scholarship in honor of Julianna, our students will ensure that their classmate’s memory will live on,” said Gabby DiNatale, Howell High School student council advisor. “North Star Reach is an amazing organization that has provides a camp experience for children who cannot attend a traditional summer camp due to serious health challenges. We have students as well as children in the community who have attended North Star Reach, so to be able to support the mission is very rewarding.”
“North Star Reach means so much to me. It has shown me that I’m not alone and that others have been through what I have,” said Shyann, a three-year camper who lives in the Howell Area. “North Star Reach has changed me in a great way. I have made so many new friends, and it has shown me that my condition doesn’t hold me back.”
“We’re tremendously grateful to Howell High School seniors and community for choosing North Star Reach as their Senior Survivor charity,” said Doug Armstrong, North Star Reach Founder & CEO. “This incredibly generous financial support will make a significant contribution toward supporting our efforts to positively impact the lives of children and their families facing serious health challenges.”
Last year, Senior Survivor raised more than $90,000 that was split between the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) and LACASA. To date, Senior Survivor has raised more than $350,000 for various charities. To learn more about this year’s Senior Survivors, or to make a donation,visit https://goo.gl/gA9zpr.
About North Star Reach
Located on 105 scenic acres of rolling hills and waterfront in Pinckney, North Star Reach is a medically supported camp that serves kids with chronic and life-threatening health challenges and their family members, all at no charge to them. North Star Reach’s state-of-the-art health center is staffed by medical professionals from leading hospitals and medical centers throughout the Great Lakes region. North Star Reach is also a member of the prestigious SeriousFun Children’s Network (SFCN). Founded by legendary actor and philanthropist Paul Newman in 1988, SFCN is now a global network of 30 camps and programs for children with special medical needs. As a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, North Star Reach is independently managed and funded and depends on private donations to serve every camper free of charge. Camp can accommodate approximately 1,500 children and family members annually. Learn more www.northstarreach.org.
