Valley Point students ‘orange out’ to help friend battle leukemia

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Alyssa McCollum, an eighth-grader at Valley Point Middle School, shows the artwork she painted in support of fellow classmate Joshua Magana, who is fighting leukemia. The painting is displayed at the entrance to the school. (Misty Watson/The Daily Citizen)
Valley Point Middle School students show their support for fellow student Joshua Magana who is fighting leukemia. Pictured from left are Joshua's friends, Shane Babb, Aaron Waters and Will Cujaneck, who helped organize an orange out in support of him. (Misty Watson/The Daily Citizen)

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September 19, 2012

Valley Point students ‘orange out’ to help friend battle leukemia

By Christopher Smith christophersmith@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Wed Sep 19, 2012, 09:01 AM EDT

School officials say Joshua Magana was a lively student who golfed and wrestled at Valley Point Middle School. But instead of starting the eighth grade with his friends he is at home recovering from his battle with leukemia.

That doesn’t mean the school won’t be part of Joshua’s life.

The students at the school will be wearing orange on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. during the school’s softball game against New Hope Middle School and the football game against North Whitfield Middle School to raise funds and awareness for the Magana family as part of the school’s “Orange Out.”

“The games are about supporting Josh,” said Shane Babb, an eighth-grader and friend of Joshua. “Orange is the color for leukemia awareness, like pink is the color of breast cancer awareness. People have done breast cancer awareness games before so we figured why not hold two leukemia games for Joshua?”

During the games the school will be selling T-shirts for $10 and wristbands for $5 with the proceeds going directly to the Magana family, said Principal Robyn Baggett.

“Even if you don’t have a student at Valley Point, come to the games,” Baggett urged. “Fighting leukemia is a battle of the community. This is not about sports or competition or championships. It’s about this kid, this family, this battle. Any contributions to their family would be appreciated.”

Baggett credits Shane and fellow eighth-grader Will Kujaneck with starting the fundraising effort.

“Will stopped me in the hallway,” said Baggett. “He said, ‘(Joshua) is one of our guys. What can we do to help? Can we do a game for him and his family?’ It all sprang from there. That’s what these kids do: help each other.”

“We want to support him in one way or another,” said Will. “We grew up with him. He’s our friend. He’s one of us.”

Shane and Will said the student-led Fellowship of Christian Athletes club designed the T-shirts with the motto “Losing is not an option.”

“What everyone wants to do when things get this hard is to give up,” said Shane. “Our motto means that even though this is not easy, Josh is on our team and he’s not going through this alone.”

Shane said Baggett has been working with the competing schools and has asked everyone who isn’t playing to wear orange.

“The response from the students has been powerful,” Baggett said. “Our softball players will be in orange, our cheerleaders will be in orange, our football players will have orange wristbands and the crowds from all three schools will be wearing orange, too.”

Joshua’s mother Rosario Magana said her family is “overwhelmed” by the support.

“Joshua cannot believe the students are doing this for him,” she said. “We did not expect this level of support. It has exceeded what a school normally does. The staff and kids are amazing.”

“Josh is a very good person,” said Shane. “We know leukemia has hit him and his family hard. We hope we can help them during this tough time.”

Joshua received his first round of chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger in Chattanooga, said Baggett.

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Valley Point students ‘orange out’ to help friend battle leukemia

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