St. Brendan School Kick-It game organizer, Ms. Michelle Hernandez, talks about kicking it for childhood cancer. Her 8th grade students at St. Brendan’s in Miami, Florida Kicked-It during field day. Find out what inspired them!

Who played in the game?

MH: Our 8th grade students played against the 7th grade students. The 8th grade raised funds for Kick-it and the Jeff Gordon Children Foundation and the 7th grade raised funds for the Live Like Bella Foundation.

Where and when was the game held?

MH: The game was played at our school, St. Brendan Elementary in Miami, FL on Friday, January 31st during our annual field day.

Why did you decide to organize a Kick-It event?

MH: I decided to organize a Kick-it event for several reasons. The first reason is that our school has an organization called, "Knocking on Someone's Door" and each grade level has a different charity that they work closely with. The second reason is because not only am I a huge Jeff Gordon fan, but Jeff doesn't just use his popularity to sell products or cars, he is involved in doing great things with his charity and his hospital, and raising awareness on different issues. Whether it is pediatric cancer feeding the hungry, or taking quilts to Rwanda, he is really hands on. Perhaps, without knowing it, he has been a little angel for someone. For these reasons, I thought it would be a great opportunity for our students to be part of such a huge cause and try to make a difference and help those who are suffering with this terrible disease that does not discriminate and can impact any one of us at any time.

How did your students raise money?

MH: Our students raised money by asking their family members, friends and by posting it on Facebook, Instagram, and our school website. We did not tell them they had a goal, all we told them was that they had 2 weeks to raise the funds and they could have a shaving cream event after the game. These kids really worked hard and raised over $3,000 in no time.

Why do you think it is important to Kick-It?

MH: I think that it is important to Kick-it because we as a school want to make our students aware that there are people that are not as fortunate as they are and there are kids younger and older than them suffering from a disease that maybe one day in the near future a cure can be found and they can proudly say, they were part of it. The truth is that both kids and adults need a reality check every once in a while, that life is not all about having the latest phone, sneakers, or purse, it is about being able to help others without expecting anything in return. I have showed them pictures of his hospital and the different organizations he is involved with. I also teach them, that 1 person can makes a difference, but a group can make an impact. Hopefully, they can continue with the lessons taught throughout their lives. All we can do is pray and hope for the best.

Click on these links to learn more about the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation and the Kick-It program, which both raise funds to support pediatric cancer care and research.