Senior High students celebrated another record-breaking year of philanthropy, raising a recently-revealed official total of $21,022.39 throughout the 2024-25 school year for pediatric cancer research and support through the school’s annual Mini-THON—a student-led event modeled after Penn State’s renowned THON and benefiting Four Diamonds. Leading the way was 25’ graduate Sophie Sowers, who was a standout fundraiser throughout her high school career, collecting an astounding $4,985 individually—more than any other student since Exeter began hosting Mini-THON in 2016. 

Last year’s Mini-THON club included about 50 students who organized fundraisers, recruited sponsors and planned the annual celebration event, Mini-THON. Any high school student can participate in the after-school club by raising at least $25 through a personal DonorDrive account, where students share donation links with family and friends. Four Diamonds prohibits door-to-door solicitation, so students often have to get creative—selling handmade ornaments, jewelry and crochet plushies to boost their totals. The club also hosted a wide range of events, including restaurant fundraisers, holiday sales and “canning” at district events, where students collected cash and digital donations using QR codes. One of the most popular traditions, Stall Week, sees students collecting loose change and dumping it on their first-period teachers' desks to race to count before they can begin class. Members also organized school-wide after-school events where students could join a dodgeball tournament, or participate in pickleball, board games, watercolor painting, movie time and friendship bracelet making.

Although the club’s main focus is to raise money for pediatric cancer, Mrs. Sussingham says that students wind up learning so much more: “This club is about more than just raising money—it’s about students learning how to make a difference,” said Mrs. Courtnay Sussingham, who advises the club alongside Mrs. Jordan Sharp-Rosenbaum. “Most importantly, they see firsthand how their efforts bring hope to families fighting pediatric cancer.”