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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Photos of Connor and Spencer Hoit were placed throughout MCCTC at the schools Celebration of Life event May 22, honoring Connor who will complete his last treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Connor Hoit, MCCTC student Eirini Liodakis and Spencer Hoit posed at the school's Celebration of Life event May 22.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.MCCTC students and teachers posed with Connor and Spencer Hoit at the school's celebration of life party May 22 for Connor.
By JESSICA HARKER
Mahoning County Career and Technical Center hosted a Celebration of Life event on May 22.
Jessica Cene, the Marketing and Job Placement Coordinator, said that the event was the celebration of local student, 7-year-old Connor Hoit, receiving his final treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
MCCTC student Eirini Liodakis spent months organizing a fundraiser for Hoit, through the Make a Wish foundation to send him and his family to Disney World.
“This started off as a plain old project I had in class,” Liodakis said, explaining that she was tasked with designing a logo that portrayed on one the qualities of Martin Luther King Jr.
Liodakis said she focused on his kindness, and though the logo didn’t win the competition it was entered in she felt she could do more with it.
Cene said that with the help of her teacher, and through partnership with A to Z Athletics, Liodakis was able to raise about $13,000 for the trip.
She printed the logo onto T-shirts and hoodies, and sold them to students and staff members.
Cene said that there was a huge rush of support from everyone, including other schools like Columbiana, where Hoit is a student.
“We were able to fund his trip, pay for T-shirt expenses and pay for this party,” Liodakis said.
She said that it took less than four weeks for the project to reach it’s initial goal of $8,500.
During the event students and staff at MCCTC gathered together with Hoit and his family to celebrate the end of his treatment, and his recent trip to Disney.
Kicking off the party, Cene said that Hoit ran his way through a hall way of streamers in celebration.
The group then enjoyed cake and drinks while a slide show played depicting the family’s trip.
Cene said that the party also doubled as a birthday celebration, since Hoit also turned 8 that week.
“Our students took part in this,” Cene said. “And it really is about how much they supported it.”
Liodakis said that she plans to keep the programing going the next year as well, hoping to continue to work with Make a Wish, or find another way to help a local family.
“Even if its not just me, I feel like as a school we can really make a difference,” she said.
Connor and his older brother Spencer said that they enjoyed their time in Disney, both saying that their favorite part was Slinky Dog Dash, a Toy Story themed roller coaster.