Contact: Sandra Simpson

Phone Number: 228-702-0500

Saint Patrick Catholic High School’s Math-A-Thon will launch on February 1, 2011 to raise vital funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^®, one of the world’s premier centers for research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. St. Jude is the top children’s cancer hospital in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.

 The St Patrick community can support students by making donations to St. Jude in honor of students’ participation in the national math fundraising program. Since its inception more than 30 years ago, Math-A-Thon has become one of America’s largest education-based fundraisers. More than 10,000 schools across the country participate in the program every year. 

 “St. Jude is a research institution that develops and shares protocols and expertise to treat deadly childhood diseases,” said Sandra Simpson coordinator of the event. “By pledging donations to students participating in Math-A-Thon, St Patrick will be supporting the St. Jude mission of finding cures and saving children across the country and around the world.”

 Math-A-Thon works in the following way: Teachers serve as volunteer coordinators for Math-A-Thon at their school. Participating students solve math problems in the Math-A-Thon Funbook. Students ask family and friends for donations in support of their participation in the Math-A-Thon. All donations are sent to St. Jude, where no child is ever turned away because of a family’s inability to pay.

 St. Jude has teamed up with Scholastic Inc. to develop the Math-A-Thon Funbook. The Math-A-Thon Funbooks contain engaging activities developed by Scholastic that support National Standards and are aligned to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) focal points for each grade level from K–8. Math-A-Thon allows students to build and practice essential math skills covered in state standardized tests while also raising funds for kids battling cancer at St. Jude.

 About St. Jude

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. In 2010, St. Jude was ranked the most trusted charity in the nation in a public survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a highly respected international polling and research firm. St. Jude was also named the nation’s top children’s cancer hospital in the 2010-11 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, go to www.stjude.org.