The Saint Ursula Academy senior class made a donation of $2,020 to Leukemia Research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). With the wide-ranging cancellations related to COVID-19, Saint Ursula Academy’s Orange and White Game, an annual fundraiser for CCHMC, could not take place this year. However, the SUA Class of 2020 got creative so that this event could still have an impact.
The Orange and White game has been hosted by Saint Ursula Academy for the past ten years in memory of Natalie Bradley, a 2009 graduate of SUA who died from leukemia shortly after her graduation. This flag football game unites area schools to raise funds for Leukemia Research at CCHMC. Typically two girls’ schools compete in the football game, while two boys’ schools serve as the cheerleaders. In the past, Notre Dame Academy, Ursuline Academy, St. Xavier, Covington Catholic, Moeller and Elder have participated in this fun event, united for a good cause. To date, students have raised over $62,000!
This year, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the game had to be canceled. Senior leaders Skylar Herr and Bridget Breissinger rallied Saint Ursula’s Class of 2020 to find a way to contribute to this important research in honor of Natalie. They came up with a goal to raise $2020 for CCHMC. Members of the class had already paid a $5 entry fee for another senior event which was also canceled. They decided to roll those entry fees into this fund and then challenged the senior class to make additional donations to get to the 2020 number in honor of their graduation year.
Skylar Herr ’20, who will be attending the University of Alabama next year, is sad that senior traditions have been canceled, but is looking on the bright side. “Upholding tradition is incredibly important to all of the current students and previous graduates of Saint Ursula Academy. This year, I was proud to be one of the leaders in our senior class’ decision to donate funds from a non-related activity to honor and uphold the tradition of our annual donation to the Leukemia Research Center. Especially during this time, it warms my heart to know that this donation will allow CCHMC to continue helping patients with what they need.”
Bridget Breissinger ’20 will be attending the University of Cincinnati next year, but will always be grateful for the support of her Saint Ursula classmates. “Saint Ursula Academy has taught me the importance of giving back to my community, so when the annual Orange and White game was canceled due to COVID-19, we felt it was extremely important to do what we could to bridge the gap in donations and continue the tradition of giving back to the Leukemia Research Center in honor of Natalie Bradley. I am so grateful for my classmates’ overwhelming encouragement and generosity in providing a ray of light during this unsettling time.”
Vice Principal of Student Life, Sara Utecht, is proud of the students’ creativity and compassion for others and their resilience during this difficult time. “Instead of throwing in the towel when they were presented with another cancellation, the SUA senior class looked for a way to bring kindness into the world.”
Saint Ursula Academy students continue their mission of “Building a Better World,” even when faced with a challenge!