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By now most people know that Mrs. Darlene Carter, the beloved middle school teacher, is fighting pancreatic cancer. To show its support the Bellwood-Antis School District wore purple on Friday May 9, 2014. The school-wide effort to show support was planned by high school teacher Mrs. Sally Padula.

“Mrs. Carter has been here as long as I have,” Mrs. Padula said. “Her daughter teaches at the elementary school. She is planning on retiring at the end of this year. When she came out about her pancreatic cancer it was really shocking news. I had several people approach me and ask if there was a way we would be able to show our support for her.”

When asked why she organized the effort Mrs. Padula said, “Everyone going to school in the high school has had Mrs. Carter. Having current and former students as well as colleagues show their support for her battle is a real morale boost. The plan was to have every student and staff member who wore purple in support of Mrs. Carter gather on the football field and organize ourselves to form the purple ribbon. We are going to send her a copy so she knows that she supported by all of Bellwood-Antis.”

During eighth period, all students and faculty wearing purple went to the middle school gymnasium to form the purple ribbon.

Students who particpated in the wear-purple initiative said they wanted to show their support for Mrs. Carter in any way possible.

“I wanted to support Mrs. Carter through this,” said junior Hannah Cherry.  “It might be little, but I wanted to do whatever I could do.”

“It was a really good turnout,” Mrs. Padula said.  “We’ve had a lot of purple shirts flowing through the school today.”