Juan Diego named the 2012 School of the Year

Courtesy photo/JDCHS

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Juan Diego receives the School of the Year award from the Huntsman Cancer Institute for raising funds and awareness for cancer research.

DRAPER — Juan Diego Catholic High School was named the 2012 School of the Year by the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the Huntsman Cancer Giving Circle open house Dec. 4. Juan Diego received the award for its efforts in raising approximately $40,000 for the Huntsman Hometown Heroes program since 2008.

Juan Diego’s Christine Petrone has been a part of the Huntsman Hometown Heroes’ Program since 2006. The Friends and Family teams are partnered with races throughout Utah, said Jen Murano, Huntsman Cancer Institute development officer.

The Hometown Heroes program trains the Friends and Family teams that run from November through June at Sugar House Park and then enters them in the spring races such as the Salt Lake, Ogden or Provo marathons, or other races like the Canyon Lands half marathon.

"We appreciate Chris’ teams, whose funds helped us raise a total of $550,000 last year," said Murano. "The money will be used for cancer research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute."

Petrone had personally started fundraising for Huntsman Hometown Heroes before teaching at Juan Diego. In 2006, she was celebrating her fifth year of being cancer free from Hodgkins lymphoma and wanted to run a marathon to help raise funds for the Hometown program, she said. That fall, she became Juan Diego’s theology faculty/director of faith formation and head cross country coach.

"The Juan Diego Friends and Family team started training in 2007 and participated in the 2008 Hometown Heroes event by contributing $200 to run in the 5K or $500 to participate in the half or full marathon or 25-mile bike ride," said Petrone. "Subsequently, each year we’ve had a team that was limited to faculty, staff and friends."

The Juan Diego students have participated in other ways to raise funds. In February, they conducted a six-week campaign prior to Lent; a $10 donation allowed the girls to wear boots and feathers in their hair and gave the boys permission not to shave. On Fat Tuesday, a competition was held for longest, strangest and thickest beard. The boys also raised funds for prostate cancer research.

"We raised close to $1,700 this year," said Petrone. "The students had fun and, obviously, the money is going for a good cause. The students also paid $3 to wear spirit dress, which is jeans and a Juan Diego spirit shirt."

The 2012 team was the largest Friends and Family team for Juan Diego, said Petrone. "We usually dedicate the team to either someone from our community that is in the process of going through and receiving treatment for cancer or someone who has passed away from cancer," she said. "Last spring our team was dedicated to the memory of Kim Darby, a colleague of ours."

Darby, a Skaggs Catholic Center employee, passed away in 2011 after a seven-year battle with breast cancer. Darby’s daughter, Caitlin Darby, graduated from Juan Diego in 2012.

"This year we are still in the process of recruiting people for our team," said Petrone adding that the team changes from year to year.

"The fact that the school allows the students to participate in these events is amazing," said Murano. "It’s awesome that the students, faculty and staff and parents all get involved. It’s because of people like Chris who bring teams back year after year that our fund raising translates into a half million dollars. Every year Chris’ teams grow and they are benefiting cancer research."