Summer seems to be everyone’s favorite time of year. Catch a Wave, a student concert and fundraiser for Winthrop University Hospital’s Pediatric Cancer Center, brought it to the halls of Massapequa High School on March 18.

The event was crowded with students, families, and teachers admiring the beach themed hallways, listening to music, and all the while having a great time while donating to a wonderful cause.  Without a doubt, Catch A Wave was once again a major success.

The beach themed hallway, otherwise known as “The Boardwalk,” opened at 5:30pm, and featured bake sales by many Massapequa High School clubs. Some participating clubs included  Boys Track, Mock Trial, National Art Honor Society, and Visions Magazine.  As people entered into the High School, many stopped to buy raffles, while others laid out their beach towels in the gymnasium, excited for the concert.

Attendees at the concert were amazed at the decorations provided by the National Art Honor Society, under the leadership of seniors Alison Agnew and Christopher Bal.

The concert began at 7:30pm with a fantastic performance by students Gina Liguori and Lauren Schmelzle.  The concert also featured MHS a cappella groups, such as the Chordettes and the Crooners. The audience listened and sang along as beach balls were thrown around the crowd.

“[Catch A Wave was] an awesome opportunity to raise money for a good cause and have fun at the same time,”  senior Matt Greene, who performed in the concert, said.

Other speakers included Sadie Freifeld, an eight year old cancer survivor, who inspired Catch A Wave.  She gave a heartfelt speech about what this charity meant for her.  She also reminded the crowd that “there are still many kids who have to fight cancer like [she] did.”  It was clear that as much fun as Catch a Wave is, it is an invaluable charity event with its grounding in supporting the fight against cancer.

Before Sadie left the stage, everybody sang her an early Happy Birthday, since her ninth birthday was a few days off.

Before evolving into a concert, Catch A Wave began as a Story Box Project, started by the Art, English, and Technology departments. A few years ago, students designed a permanent installation at Winthrop Hospital that featured games and amongst other activities, in the hope that children with cancer could forget about their medical condition, even if it were only a minute or two.

This year, Catch A Wave was planned by seniors Sydney Tamburello, Danielle Coggins, Claire Korber, Chloe Purick, and Mike Pevsner.   They certainly did a wonderful job of planning this event, and succeeded in turning the school into a tropical venue.

“[Students had been] planning since June of last year,” senior Sydney Tamburello said. “…It was definitely worth it because there was a huge turnout, and when you set a goal of ten thousand dollars, you have to start planning early.”

Additionally, English teacher, Mr. Robert Hempel and Art teacher, Mrs. Gale Domingo, helped oversee the project. “I was so honored to work with such a fantastic group of students who donated their time to such a great cause,” Art teacher and event organizer Mrs. Gale Domingo said.

This year’s Catch A Wave was a great success, and allowed many students, teachers, and families to have good time while supporting a good cause. The proceeds of the event will be graciously donated to Winthrop University Hospital’s Pediatric Cancer Center.