Sebring McKinley Jr/Sr High School has launched its annual fundraiser to honor the memory of their student and classmate Emily Waseman.

Emily, who passed away from cancer in elementary school, will be remembered through this year's outreach.

Every year, students select a different cause to support her honor, with this year's charity being "50 Legs", an organization that provides prosthetics to individuals in need.

The fundraiser began in early March, with special guest speaker Mrs. Kristin Fox, an associate principal at Northeast Ohio IMPACT, where she shared her story of a life-altering experience in 2020 that resulted in losing both her arms and legs.

"We are incredibly grateful to Mrs. Fox for joining us and sharing her inspirational story. Her strength and determination are a true inspiration for our students to kick off their efforts to raise money for 50 legs, working together to make a difference in the lives of others." said Nicole Mathias, teacher at Sebring McKinley and advisor for the annual fundraising project.

She continues, "We've named our annual fundraising effort 'Emily's Project' as a way to unite our students, staff, and the Sebring community in keeping her memory alive while supporting others."

The class officers have organized various activities through out the month including dollar days, penny wars, a bake sale and t-shirt sales.

By the end of the month, they will have an assembly to reveal the amount raised.

If you would like to contribute or learn more to support the fundraiser, you can contact teacher advisors of the initiative Nicole Mathias at [email protected] or Carolyn Hollback [email protected].