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PALS work to fight breast cancer, bring campus together

Pink Week 2024 adds puppies to the mix but stays true to its pedigree, raising $2,755 for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas
Byline photo of JoJo Barnard
Byline photo of Daniela Di-Capua
Byline photo of Carson Duncan
Byline photo of Josie Mullan
Byline photo of Elizabeth Nation
Byline photo of Chloe Seckar-Martinez
Byline photo of Adele Seeboth
Byline photo of Fletcher Vandegrift
JoJo Barnard, Daniela Di-Capua, Carson Duncan, Josie Mullan, Elizabeth Nation, Chloe Seckar-Martinez, Adele Seeboth, and Fletcher Vandegrift
October 15, 2024
Setting a new Pink Week precedent, puppies were introduced into the Pink Week festivities this year. Two 6-week-old puppies-Mae and Millie were brought from Austin Pets Alive, and students, including Mariana Silva shown here, were able to pay to cuddle and play with the puppies. The event turned out to be extremely popular at McCallum with a huge line twisting around the courtyard, and the PALS program reported that just on Tuesday alone, the group raised $700 dollars for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas. Not only did the puppies help to raise money for the BCRC, but the event also served as an adoption event for Austin Pets Alive, as students and their families were given the puppies' information about how to adopt puppies in the future. Caption by Josie Mullan.
Setting a new Pink Week precedent, puppies were introduced into the Pink Week festivities this year. Two 6-week-old puppies-Mae and Millie were brought from Austin Pets Alive, and students, including Mariana Silva shown here, were able to pay to cuddle and play with the puppies. The event turned out to be extremely popular at McCallum with a huge line twisting around the courtyard, and the PALS program reported that just on Tuesday alone, the group raised $700 dollars for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas. Not only did the puppies help to raise money for the BCRC, but the event also served as an adoption event for Austin Pets Alive, as students and their families were given the puppies’ information about how to adopt puppies in the future. Caption by Josie Mullan.
Beatrix Lozach

The Peer Assistance and Leadership Service program held its annual week-long event, Pink Week, last week to raise funds and bring awareness to the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas. Many of the most popular events from previous years including the shooting PAL-lery where students could pay to throw water balloons at PALS students, a snowcone machine and a pink nail salon all returned this year, attracting many excited students. Another big highlight was the “Pink Out” pep rally where students eagerly watched their favorite teachers get pied by the PALS students.

One of the biggest highlights of the week was the new puppy petting station organized for the first time this year. Coordinated with Austin Pets Alive!, students were able to pay to hold the puppies, and the event helped to serve not only as a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Center but also as a potential adoption event for APA. 

Over the years, Pink Week has become an important tradition of McCallum. Senior PAL Grace Valdez explained that Pink Week has become a special and unique aspect of the PALS program at McCallum and the community overall. 

“I think it just starts off as friends coming in and throwing water balloons at people, but quickly it becomes school culture,” Valdez said. “I remember my freshman year I would come to it, and it’s just something that’s really fun, definitely unique to McCallum and McCallum PALS. Pink Week is awesome.”

It’s also an effective way to help the Breast Cancer Resource Center provide support to families that are battling breast cancer. Thanks largely to a record $700 raised on Tuesday when the puppies were on campus, the 2024 edition of Pink Week raised $2,755 dollars for BCRC, within a $100 of the PALS all-time best Pink Week set a year ago.

We are proud to present our collection of photos from Pink Week for this week’s Tuesday Top 10.

layla at pink week
David Winter
GLITTER FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Senior PAL Layla Al-Hallaq paints face glitter on security guard Melisa Thickstun's face in the courtyard last Monday, the first day of Pink Week. Pink Week takes place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is an initiative to raise money that goes towards the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin. The PALS raise money through fun activities such as the water balloon toss, petting puppies, and buying treats like snow cones. Al-Hallaq said these activities help to build the school culture at McCallum. “These events add an element of joy and community spirit, making it a meaningful way to contribute to an important cause,” Al-Hallaq said. During Pink Week, Al-Hallaq participated in many activities including the Pink Salon, where she painted nails and put glitter on peoples’ faces. According to Al-Hallaq, Pink Week not only raises funds but also awareness of and engagement with the cause. Al-Hallaq said she loves how Pink Week brings the community together, allowing it to direct its school spirit toward a good cause. “When you look around, there is this vibrant energy creating a positive atmosphere,” Al-Hallaq said. Caption by Adele Seeboth.
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