WHOOP! THEY DID IT AGAIN!
South Fayette High School Mini-THON Crushes Fundraising Record
After three days without electricity threatening whether the annual Mini-THON event would happen as scheduled, South Fayette High School students celebrated their year-long fundraising efforts through the night, beginning Friday, May 2 at 6 pm through Saturday, May 3 at 6 am. At approximately 5:50 am the long-awaited reveal showcased the grand total of their work with a total exceeding last year by 4%. The 2025 South Fayette Mini-THON total fundraised for Four Diamonds to fight pediatric cancer is $350,492.58! This is South Fayette’s third consecutive national record for the most amount ever raised by a Mini-THON.
Primarily organized by the high school Honors Management class at South Fayette, Mini-THON involves students throughout all grades in the high school. Students form teams to reach fundraising goals, and the seniors in the class gather corporate sponsorships, develop promotions, plan and execute fundraisers, organize the grand finale event, and encourage the teams in their efforts. This year’s Mini-THON was chaired by seniors Ava Altavilla, Cooper Hillebrand, Noah Mathias, and Tessa Schwarzmiller. The class set an all-time sponsorship record with over $120,000 in sponsorship money alone.
Taught by Mr. Brandon Flannery and Mr. Gary Smith, there were 39 students in the Honors Management class this year. “We want to thank the SF School Board, Dr. Miller, Dr. Deichler, Dr. Dirda, and Mr. Salopek for the constant support of Mini-THON and for allowing it to be such a big part of our school culture,” shared Flannery in a message to the district faculty and staff. “Thank you to every sponsor, student, parent, friend, colleague, and anyone else who gave their time and/or money to make this possible!” Drs. Miller and Deichler are the district superintendent and assistant superintendent, respectively, and Dr. Dirda and Mr. Salopek are the high school principal and assistant principal, respectively.
Flannery continued, “We had so many teachers volunteer to help keep the students fed, hydrated, and entertained throughout the night! I say it every year but it is worth repeating, our staff is the primary reason why we are able to have the success we have had. Our teachers support Mini-THON all year and they show up for the students in so many ways. We cannot say THANK YOU enough!”
Prior to the reveal, the four chairs spoke to the students and adults gathered in the gym for the event. Noah Mathias spoke to the importance and purpose of the event. “Remember it's not about the total number that you see at the end of this event but rather every little action that helps kids in need…every car wash, restaurant night, and FTK game has led to this moment.”
Thanking Flannery and Smith, Ava Altavilla said, “The passion you both have for this event has inspired us all even when things got tough. We have such amazing memories with you both that we will cherish forever.”
Addressing the crowd, Cooper HIllebrand added, “The growth of this event has brought the South Fayette community together and anyone part of this has certainly left their mark in the legacy of Mini-THON at South Fayette. With the help of your teachers, administrators and fellow students, you can truly make a difference for those battling pediatric cancer.”
The 2023 Mini-THON was the first time South Fayette set the national record for high school Mini-THON fundraising with a total exceeding $336,000. The following year, that record was beaten by $2,000. To follow that with an additional $12,000 this year is truly impressive and inspiring to the underclassmen who seek to carry on the tradition of fundraising growth.