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By NATHAN HOWELL | Special to the Reporter

PELHAM – As September marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Pelham Ridge Elementary School is asking students and faculty to wear gold and learn how they can help to find a cure.

Every Tuesday and Thursday during the month of September, students are able to wear gold to show their support and bring awareness to the cause by wearing certain gold clothing each week, and wearing all gold on the final week of the month.

Pelham Ridge Counselor Jordan Salter said that the initiative was designed in part to support a fellow student who has cancer, but to also teach children how important this cause is and relating it on a level they can more easily understand.

“It is perfect timing with September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,” Salter said. “We feel like it is really important to instill a sense of advocacy in our students so that they can see change really starts with them.”

During the month students will also be able to donate money to help in the fight against childhood cancer, which also provides a tangible example to the children on how they can really help.

“By working together through our donations we are able to make an impact on childhood cancer research,” Salter explained. “It is something they can relate to because it’s not far out of reach. It’s kids just like them that benefit.”

Since the month has started, the school placed yellow bows out by the carpool area, and the teachers have yellow ribbons hanging at their classroom doors. All of these are little daily reminders of the importance of this cause for students, parents and faculty.

Salter and the school hope that these acts will carry with the children through their lives, so that they can understand what is going on outside of them personally, and do everything that they can to help those in need.

“I think that we see a lot of awareness being raised for different types of cancer all the time. We are an elementary school, so kids are near and dear to us,” Salter said. “If we can teach these students to look around and see the bigger picture of what is going on in the world, and teach them how to care for people like them, I think that’s really powerful.”