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Erica Techo
As part of the Survivor's Walk, cancer survivors and their families circle the track of Vestavia Hills High School's football field on April 13, 2018. The walk was an opening event for the school's Relay for Life celebration.
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Erica Techo
VHHS students sit on the football field at VHHS on April 13, 2018. As part of the school's Relay for Life event, luminaries in the shape of the word "CURE" appeared in the stands.
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Erica Techo
Will Nailen (left) is surprised with a trip to Lake Tahoe during the Vestavia Hills High School Relay for Life event on April 13, 2018. Nailen is a Pizitz Middle School student who was diagnosed with small cell osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, in 2017.
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Erica Techo
Students pose for a photo on a large purple chair on April 13, 2018. The chair was set up for Vestavia Hills High School's annual Relay for Life evenet.
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Erica Techo
A member of the VHHS Relay for Life team throws a football on April 13, 2018. As part of Relay for Life, students created booths to raise money toward a $250,000 goal.
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Erica Techo
Families eat at the Survivor's Dinner during VHHS's Relay for Life on April 13, 2018. The Survivor's Dinner is a time to celebrate cancer survivors and their families.
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Erica Techo
(clockwise from left) Regina McKelvey, David Cowan, Lana Cowan, Scarlett Cowan and Henry Mckelvey pose for a photo during the Survivor's Dinner at VHHS's Relay for Life on April 13, 2018.
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Erica Techo
As part of the Survivor's Walk, cancer survivors and their families circle the track of Vestavia Hills High School's football field on April 13, 2018. The walk was an opening event for the school's Relay for Life celebration.
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Erica Techo
Aaron Oliver, college counselor at VHHS, sits in a dunk tank on April 13, 2018. Oliver was in the dunk tank at one of several booths at the school's Relay for Life event.
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Erica Techo
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Erica Techo
VHHS students dance during a band's performance on April 13, 2018. The band was performing at the school's annual Relay for Life event.
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Erica Techo
VHHS students dance during a band's performance on April 13, 2018. The band was performing at the school's annual Relay for Life event.
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Erica Techo
Students sit on the football field at VHHS awaiting the start of the school's Relay for Life celebration on April 13, 2018. VHHS had the goal of raising $250,000 by the end of the night.
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Photo by Elizabeth Nance, Courtesy of VHHS Relay.
The Vestavia Hills High School Relay team raised a total of $253,505.38 for The American Cancer Society and the Oncology Department of Children's Hospital.
Despite having to reschedule its Relay for Life event, Vestavia Hills High School's Relay for Life team once again surpassed its fundraising goal.
At an event on Friday, April 13, the group announced it had raised more than a quarter of a million dollars — $253,505.38 to be exact — for The American Cancer Society and the Oncology Department of Children's Hospital. The student-led event started with the survivor dinner, during which cancer survivors and their families were able to grab a bite to eat before heading out to the football field for the opening ceremony.
During the opening ceremony, Pizitz Middle School student Will Nailen was surprised with a trip to Lake Tahoe. In 2017, Nailen was diagnosed with small cell osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, and the trip was presented by Magic Moments.
The survivor walk followed, at which time survivors and their families walked the VHHS track, as students lined the inside of the football field and cheered. Students then returned to the practice field behind the VHHS gym, where they could purchase food or play games to continue raising money for Relay.
The total amount raised was announced at 11 p.m.
