A group of dedicated high school students at Hopewell Valley Central High School is rallying the community to support a vital cause—raising funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Leading the charge is Anna Nakra, an 11th-grade student who has made it her mission to honor those affected by blood cancers, including a young child in Pennington currently battling the disease.
Nakra is part of LLS’s Student Visionaries of the Year program, which empowers students with direct support from LLS staff to help launch their fundraising campaigns. Running through March 15, the campaign seeks to generate awareness and funds for research and patient support. This year, Nakra and her team (Bulldogs Bite Back) are fundraising in honor of Izzy Mosteller, a six-year-old from Pennington who is courageously undergoing treatment for blood cancer.
Izzy, the young girl at the heart of this year’s campaign, is currently in the sixth round of maintenance treatment, with a couple of rounds still to go before she can ring the bell—a milestone signifying the end of her treatment. Her mother, Christina Mosteller, expressed her gratitude for the students’ efforts.
“I’m very impressed and overwhelmed that these are high school kids who truly get it at such a young age,” Mosteller said. “The fact that they are spending their time fundraising for such an important cause is amazing.”
Nakra’s journey with LLS began when she discovered the Student Visionaries of the Year program through an Instagram post. She assembled a team of seven fellow juniors to organize events, reach out to businesses, and spread awareness throughout the community. So far, they have raised $2,500, with an ambitious goal of reaching $50,000 by the campaign’s conclusion.
“This is definitely a big commitment,” Nakra said. “But I was more willing to go through the process because I know this is something that can help my own family.”
For Nakra’s mother, Teresa, watching her daughter take on this leadership role has been inspiring.
“It’s awesome to see students putting together a team, holding meetings at the dining table, and learning how to be leaders in a fundraising campaign,” Teresa Nakra said.
The Bulldogs Bite Back campaign continues through March 15. Those interested in contributing or learning more about the campaign can visit the Bulldogs Bite Back fundraising page.
