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Middle school students raise awareness for Jimmy V
By amanda tonoli
Austintown Middle School participated in Jimmy V Day on May 28. Jimmy V Day is a day to raise money to go towards the V Foundation for Cancer Research started by college basketball coach Jimmy Valvano and ESPN.
Eighth-grade teacher Dorothy DelBoccio led the fundraising activities — she had a special interest in this event.
“I became involved in raising awareness and money for cancer as a result of my father, Jerry DelBoccio,” Dorothy DelBoccio said. “He had cancer off and on for 8 years, and he passed my senior year of high school.”
Valvano became invested in the foundation and furthering cancer research shortly after his diagnosis at the age of 43. His goal was to empower others to further what he was starting for others that had fallen to the disease. In 1993 Valvano gave a speech at the ESPY, Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly, awards to spread this empowerment.
This speech was sentimental to DelBoccio.
“My dad and I would watch this speech every year together,” DelBoccio said.
On June 2, DelBoccio’s students got to participate in physical activities and watch Valvano’s speech in celebration of the awareness and fundraising success.