The 41 seniors at Profile Junior-Senior High School in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, voted unanimously to skip their senior trip to a New York dude ranch and donate their entire treasury of about $8,000 to help Vashaw fight a rare and aggressive soft-tissue cancer.
Courtney Vashaw, in red, shown with some of the members of the senior class of Profile Junior-Senior High School in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. The class voted to skip their senior trip and donate their entire treasury of about $8,000 to help Vashaw fight a rare type of cancer.
"I was just astounded by their generosity," Vashaw told TODAY.com Wednesday, a day after theseniors gathered with her to announce their gift. "I know how hard they worked to try to plan a good last hurrah. For them to make that decision is really a testimonial to the character of the kids."
Vashaw, who served as assistant principal at the public school for five years before rising to the top job two years ago, says that as an educator, "you're never really sure if your message sinks in."
"You plant the seeds and hope they flourish but you don't often get to see the fruits of that labor for a long time," she says. "It's pretty remarkable to see that something stuck. Before they even have to make those adult decisions, they're already doing remarkable things."
In late April, Vashaw, 37, had a tumor removed from under her left arm and was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma two weeks later.
Because May is such a busy month with exams, she waited as long as she could to inform the students of her illness, holding an emotional meeting last week to tell the seventh through twelfth graders of her uncertain days ahead.
"It was the hardest thing I've ever done," Vashaw said.
Soon, several seniors eating breakfast during senior skip day came up with the donation idea, which they shared on their class Facebook page. On Friday, the tight-knit senior class voted unanimously to give their funds to Vashaw and take a smaller trip close to home.
"When you have an opportunity like that, it's much better to do that than ride horses at a dude ranch," said Hunter Leighton, 18, one of the students who first thought of helping the principal.
Leighton and several students interviewed Wednesday said it wasn't a hard decision to miss the trip this weekend. They praised Vashaw as a great leader who is involved, supportive and caring, the kind of person who would do anything for anybody.
"Ms. Vashaw really touched us all and influenced our lives," said another senior, Leanza Hunt, 17. "And we know she would have done the same for us. We wanted to give back to her after she's done do much for us."
Read more: http://www.today.com/parents/students-give-senior-class-trip-funds-help-principal-cancer-t23226
Related article: These Students Donated Their Senior Trip Money To Their Principal's Cancer Treatment
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