Maurice W. Downing Primary School held its annual Relay for Life kickoff celebration on Friday, March 4. With members of the student council dressed as superheroes, the event served to kick-start the school’s initiative to raise funds, awareness and spirit. The kickoff included a celebration for a student who recently finished her last cancer treatment, a guest speaker who has cancer, an appearance by the Malverne Mule mascot, and lots of enthusiastic singing for the cause. The school’s theme this year is “We can be heroes and sheroes.”

As part of the event, members of the student council shared some ideas on how to help raise funds and offered prizes to the classes who raised the most money. Downing has raised more than $60,000 in five years for the American Cancer Society through this annual fundraiser.