WOODBURY — In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Nonnewaug’s Student Council and Spirit Club hosted two simultaneous fundraising events during the last week of October.

The school’s annual Go Pink Day, in which students were encouraged to wear pink and buy bandanas, bracelets, and other items in order to support the cause, was held Oct. 26 for Cohort A and Oct. 29 for Cohort B.

Each cohort participated in a Halloween costume contest on Oct. 27 and Oct. 30. Students came to school dressed up, the student body voted online for their favorite costumes, and additional donations were collected in support of breast cancer research. 

Nonnewaug has a long, enthusiastic history of support for breast cancer research and treatment — so long a history, in fact, that many don’t know exactly when it started.

“I’m not sure when our involvement began,” said Taryn Fernandez, Nonnewaug’s assistant principal. “But I have been here since 2005, and I always remember the Go Pink games in the fall that our athletes would play.”

Regardless of when it actually began, Nonnewaug has continued to show up for Breast Cancer Awareness Month without fail, and the school’s methods of support have only gotten bigger and better over the years.

Every October, student athletes don pink uniforms and play a game in support of breast cancer research, affectionately dubbed the team’s “pink game.” Fields are decorated for the event and each team raises money through attendance fees and organized fundraisers. The student body supports the school’s efforts by attending these games, wearing pink, and offering up both time and money for fundraisers and other events.

This year, students still showed their support for the week’s events despite the added complication of COVID-19 regulations in school. One of these students was Sami Faull, who volunteered her time for Pink Day fundraising efforts.

“COVID has definitely made things like this harder, but they’re still possible, and I think it’s great that they’re still being done,” said Faull, a junior. “I think it is important to stay involved in the school and positive things happening around me. It is not at all difficult to make an effort in helping fundraisers like this, so why wouldn’t you do something to help?”

The way that the students and staff of Nonnewaug found a way to show just as much, if not more, enthusiasm and support for breast cancer awareness despite the added complications, stress, and disconnect in the school’s current situation just goes to show how immensely dedicated all those involved were. They are surely gearing up for next year, when hopefully Nonnewaug’s tradition of support can be celebrated as it has been in the past — with everyone together.