Nolan’s St. Baldrick’s Essay

This is an essay Nolan, age 10, wrote about his involvement with St. Baldrick’s Foundation. I am so proud of his commitment!

Nolan Oliphant

4th Grade

As a kid there are a lot of rules and a lot of adults making the rules. Sometimes it feels like grown-ups think kids can’t make good decisions by themselves. I think that as a child I have made good decisions and have been a good leader to help other kids make good choices. With our good decisions we are helping to make changes in the world.

Every minute a kid is diagnosed with cancer. The St. Baldrick‘s Foundation is an organization that raises money so in the future there will be a cure for pediatric cancer. They do this by men, women and children shaving their heads to raise awareness and show support for kids (and adults) who have cancer.

It is a very easy way to make a difference. You start by just making an account online. You can sign up to shave your head or to volunteer. Then you share it and people can join you or donate to you. How is it hard to help kids? It is actually pretty easy to help a kid in need.

I first shaved my head with St. Baldrick‘s in 2015 when I was seven. My mom did it in 2010 and was doing it again in 2015, so I decided to join her with my younger brother. We were part of Team Brave and Mighty. My mom’s friend Carl was the team captain. He was shaving for the fifteenth time in memory of his little brother, Andy. I was really nervous about shaving my head. I knew I had to be courageous, though, like the kids actually battling cancer. I’m glad I didn t listen to my fear because it was an awesome experience, even if my head was freezing in the cold Pittsburgh weather.

In 2017 I decided to do it again. This time I joined Team Ty, with team captain Drew Shields. Ty went to high school with my aunt and died of cancer in 1996 and Drew, his older brother, played baseball with my dad.This time I let classmates vote on what color I should dye my hair before the shave. If they donated even $1 they got to vote. It made it more fun for me and made the rest of the school more inspired and aware of what I was doing. I was determined to raise as much money as I could for this cause. In the end I raised $1,125 for 2017. It was a lot more than 2015 when I only raised $340.

When it got time to sign up for St. Baldrick’s this time, I decided to be a leader, and created my own team and try to get friends to shave with me. At first only a couple of other kids signed up to be part of the team, Naked Noggins. Now there are 14 kids shaving, plus Carl and his wife (she is a volunteer). Right now there are four days until the shave and my team has raised almost $6,000. I am so proud of my teammates. Also, to celebrate my commitment to St.Baldrick’s since this is my third year, I am being honored as a Squire of Hope.

I have been on a lot of teams with these kids. We have played soccer, baseball and basketball together. Naked Noggins is different than the fun we have playing sports because this time we are changing the future of pediatric cancer. Some people may think kids can t do a lot to make a difference, but my friends and I are proving them wrong.

Kids can make good decisions, and I am proud of the way my leadership, commitment, teamwork, determination, courage and citizenship have played a part my choice to be a successful part of St. Baldrick‘s.

https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1007493/2019