Hat Days at South School
Published on April 11th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - For the mother of South School kindergartener Gianna Martiniello, the simple gesture went a long way in making her six-year-old daughter a little more comfortable.
According to Annmarie Martiniello, a lifelong Stonehamite, South School Principal Nick Leonardos contacted her a few months ago and asked permission to allow his students to wear hats in the building.
The break in decorum, normally a no-no on the principal's watch, was specifically considered as a show of support for Gianna, who has been receiving chemotherapy treatments for Leukemia since suffering a relapse in the spring of last year.
"I was very flattered that he thought of us. It was unexpected," recalled the Pond Street mother. "The kids and staff have already gone out of their way to make her comfortable. But [Gianna] was very pleased and felt even more comfortable."
"It's a very tight-knit community, the South School. Everybody always seems to get together and he's always the leader of it all. He's a very caring person," Martiniello added, referring to the principal's touching cause.
According to the South School principal, he thought the idea of allowing students to wear hats would provide an excellent way to teach the elementary pupils about some of the everyday struggles people experience in the outside world.
For the past three years now, the local Stoneham school has championed such causes, often fundraising money to show pupils that they can make a difference, regardless of the size of the contribution being made.
And so on each Monday in February and March, Leonardos allowed the children to wear hats, in exchange for some spare change.
"Every year, we try to do one thing that links the school to the outside world. It's really not about the money as much as it is the exercise," the principal explained. "They paid a small amount of change and could wear a hat all day long. It was all about showing a little girl some support."
Gianna, who was first diagnosed with Leukemia in May of 2003, went through nearly two years of chemotherapy treatment until the cancer was found to be in remission. However, after a nine-month span with no trace of the disease, doctors discovered that the six-year-old had suffered a relapse last March.
According to Martiniello, the round of treatments has been a little more difficult recently, as her daughter has missed much class time during an age when children first begin to develop social relationships.
"It's been difficult. She's out more than she's in," the Pond Street resident said. "It's definitely becoming more of an issue at this age, because it does interfere with her social life. But she's got a great spirit, and that's three-fourths of the battle."
Living by the mantra that you take each day at a time, Martiniello readily admits that she too is heartbroken as her daughter fights this most recent relapse.
But with the help of family and friends, and through simple gestures like the recent fundraiser at the South School, the Stoneham native finds the encouragement and support she needs to continue.
"I just want everybody at the South School to know how much we appreciate what they've done for us and for her," a grateful Martiniello commented. "The community has been very supportive. We've had total strangers come up to us and offer help."
According to Leonardos, the recent South School hat days led to $625 being raised. That money will be donated to St. Louis' Foundation for Children with Cancer, a charity formed in 1994, with the mission to assist families with costs like travel and medical bill expenses.
For the local principal, the small contribution may not cover much in terms of those medical and travel expenses, but it goes a long way in teaching students about the larger world outside of school.
"It's just a small way of showing our support. I think it's good for the kids to be involved with something for the greater good, whether it's for something down the street or nationwide," Leonardos explained. "I think it helps to give them a little bit of perspective. At a younger age, they might not grasp the whole scope of it, but they'll make those connections later in their lives."
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