In the words of Christopher Reeves, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” While Jordan Collazo may seem like an ordinary high school student, he’s an enormous asset towards the fight against cancer. With help from his biggest motivators and supporters, Collazo has been able to accumulate the most funds for the American Cancer Society in the entire school for several years. And as thankful as the school’s Relay for Life team is for his contributions, they’ve each acknowledged it’s all to help fight the larger cause.

   “In my eyes, to relay means to go out and raise money for a very important cause that you are passionate about. I’ve been participating in Relay for Life since 7th grade, when I was exposed to it. Since joining in my time at the Academic Village Middle School campus, I decided to continue throughout high school, and eventually secured a few leadership positions.” Collazo revealed that taking an active role in the school’s cancer-fighting team would allow for him to be a part of the change he hopes to see in the future, while also being able to participate in an event that holds significance in our community.

   Although Collazo is a huge advantage to the Relay for Life team, he’s admitted several times that raising money is not as difficult as it may seem: “When it comes to fundraising, I usually go the simple route and reach out to friends and family through social media. It never fails and I usually get a lot of donations that way! After all, the people I usually seek for support are my biggest motivators in the long run.” He also admits that those who raise the most funds are those who have the drive and ambition to teach others the importance of fighting against challenges like this one.

   When he was asked for any advice to new members with big aspirations for the club, Jordan replied: “Reach out to as many people as possible! Facebook was one of the best ways for me to contact others. Sending emails and asking co-workers or friends always works as well. I’ve managed to raise about $1,000 or more each year this way. And doing all of that helps, but it’s still important to share why the cause is important in general, as well as to you. If I’m able to do all of this, you can too!” 

   But most importantly, Collazo remembers that it takes hope and motivation to reach your goals. With good connections and enough participation, your contributions will prove to be a great advantage to the club, and to the American Cancer Society altogether.