Seniors At New Hampshire High School Decide To Give Up Senior Trip, Donate Money They Raised To Principal Fighting Cancer

Seniors at Profile Junior-Senior High School in Bethlehem, NH, worked for the last four years to raise $8,000 for a class trip to a ranch in New York, but this week they decided to put the money to a much bigger use.

The students made the decision to donate all of the money to their principal, Courtney Vashaw, who was recently diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Even though the plans were already set for the students to spend four days at the Rydin’ Hi Ranch, they instead decided to help Vashaw.

“We decided to not go on our senior class trip this year and donate all of our funds to your cause,” said Ian Baker, a senior.

Students said Vashaw was an inspiration to them, and that she worked hard to make a personal connection with every member of the class.

“She is one of the strongest, most determined women I know and if it can happen to her, you know anything can happen to anyone,” said Hunter Leighton, a senior, in an interview with WCVB.

Video captured the moment the students told their principal of the decision to donate $8,000 to her. Vashaw was left speechless.

“It is very hard for me to accept help, and I have no idea what to say to you,” said Vashaw.

Vashaw has spent seven years at the school, and said this is the second class she has seen go from middle schools all the way to high school graduates.

“I feel like this has been a beautiful experience as an educator,” she told ABC News. “You work so hard to try and help cultivate not only academically astute young people but kids who care. I am just so impressed and so proud of these kids for being the embodiment of that.”

Vashaw will see the students graduate next month, but then will leave for New York for a highly specialized cancer treatment.

“If I even make it through the graduation without being a teary, soggy mess, it’s going to be a miracle,” she told ABC News.

The seniors at Profile Junior-Senior High School said they still plan to have some kind of class trip after donating the $8,000 to their principal, but will look for something closer to home. Students also said they are planning more fundraisers for Courtney Vashaw.

[Image via ABC News]