Students at South Elementary School support the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Staff photo by Deanna Coronado [Click to enlarge]

South Elementary School students participated once again in the annual St. Jude Math-a-Thon this year, raising nearly $3,500 toward the cause.

The Math-a-Thon is an educationally based fundraising program in which students obtain sponsors for the number of math problems completed on CD's or workbooks provided. Each year, the program is sponsored nationally by Six Flags Theme Parks who provided ticket advantages to their parks for students who raise $35 or more.

Participating students also received a St. Jude Math-a-Thon t-shirt for their accomplishments.

The student who raised the most money individually in 2008 toward the cause was Dalton Craig. The fifth grader collected more than $800 and was recognized with a special award and presented a prize of his choice (a portable CD player).

According to South Elementary's Math-a-Thon coordinator, Nancy McVey, the students who participate in the program learn to do much more than just solve math problems.

"They also learn the importance of helping children who are less fortunate than themselves," McVey explained.

In a letter sent to the school from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., South Elementary students were credited for the success St. Jude has experienced in the treatment of children.

According to St. Jude, it is because of the generous support of the students at South Elementary and local the community that the hospital is what it is today.

"We are very proud of our students for working so hard on the Math-a-Thon," said McVey in response to the students' success with the fundraiser. "With their help St. Jude will be able to create new treatments that may one day lead to a cure for many forms of cancer.

"I also want to extend our thanks to the Kennett community for their support of our students."

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, and continues to be internationally recognized as a biomedical research center dedicated to finding cures for catastrophic childhood diseases.

Each child that comes to St. Jude is welcomed into treatment with open arms regardless of a families ability to pay.

For more information on the research hospital log on to www.stjude.org.