At Heights High School, the Ladies of Power are proving that students can make a big impact in the fight against breast cancer. Through Go Pink for the Cure, this community service club is fundraising and raising awareness with events that bring the campus community together.
Empowering Young Women to Give Back
Ladies of Power first formed in 2015 as an organization where girls could develop friendships while giving back to their community.
“We focus on empowerment,” said Alexandria, a Heights senior and president of Ladies of Power. “When members graduate, we want them to have grown socially and feel like they’ve made a real impact in their community.”
The club first connected with Komen in 2024 when members volunteered for the Komen Greater Houston Race for the Cure.
The many breast cancer survivors who shared their stories during the event inspired Alexandria and her fellow club members.
“Seeing how breast cancer survivors were celebrated as heroes inspired me to get involved on a larger scale,” she said.
Organizing a School Breast Cancer Fundraiser
Alexandria and Christianna, volunteer coordinator for Ladies of Power, approached Claire Mangin, special education teacher and faculty advisor, with the idea of organizing a school fundraiser for Komen through Go Pink for the Cure.
“I told them I couldn’t guarantee the school would approve it, but that I would help them however I could,” Claire said. “They organized a meeting with our financial office, met with the principal, and once the fundraiser was approved, they just ran with it.”
A Dodgeball Game with a Purpose
After brainstorming with local Komen staff, Ladies of Power decided to organize a teachers versus students dodgeball tournament. Members created flyers, recorded promotional videos and handled all the event execution and planning.
“They were persistent and not afraid of following up,” Claire said. “They could have easily given up, but they were so driven to make this event happen.”
The club scheduled the event for March in honor of Women’s History Month and sold tickets in advance. Gatlin’s BBQ, a local restaurant, donated food for the club to sell during the tournament.
“It consisted of three rounds, and a total of 30 teachers and 30 students competed,” Alexandria said. “After the teachers won the tournament, our digital design teacher created an awesome poster for the teachers to display in their rooms.”
School Groups Step Up to Support Ladies of Power
The GENTS, a brotherhood organization at Heights, supported the event in a unique way.
“They dressed up as cheerleaders and performed a halftime routine choreographed by the Heights cheer team,” Alexandria said. “The crowd loved the cartwheels and stunts. They practiced for weeks and even wore tutus and shook pompoms. They were a great support and brought lots of energy to the event.”
The Academy, Heights’ hip hop dance team, also performed after the second round of the tournament. “Their performance made the event feel like a concert,” Alexandria said.
The tournament exceeded expectations, raising more than $1,300 – twice the initial fundraising goal.
Handmade Cards Deliver Hope Year-Round
In addition to organizing a school fundraiser for breast cancer, the club meets monthly to create handmade support cards for people in treatment for breast cancer. Cards are also provided to Komen to give to breast cancer survivors and people living with metastatic breast cancer during the Race for the Cure. Since launching the support card program, Ladies of Power members have created more than 600 cards.
“The day of the Race, I got to see survivors open the gift bags and show their families the gifts and cards we made,” Alexandria said. “It is by far one of my favorite memories from volunteering with Komen.”
Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.
