'STRONG' Bartow Schools Raise Over $5,000 To Fight Cancer

BARTOW COUNTY, GA — In an effort to raise money for local families battling cancer, about 2,000 students from five Bartow County schools gathered at Adairsville High School, according to Bartow County Schools. They formed a massive word on the field for an aerial photo: STRONG.

It's the twelfth year in a row that the Adairsville community gathered to honor the memory of those lost to cancer. They use the event to encourage those battling cancer and celebrate those who have survived cancer.

One first-grade student is the first "Pink-Out" recipient this year, meaning he'll get a portion of the money raised. Here's what the school system had to say:

Jentezen Stegall, our smart, cartwheel-loving, lego-building first-grade student at Pine Log Elementary School will be our first Pink-Out recipient this year, meaning he'll receive a portion of the money that was raised from today's event. Here's why.

On August 21, 2019, Jentezen found out he had optic pathway glioma, a slow-growing brain tumor that arises in or around the optic nerve. According to studies, optic pathway gliomas account for five percent of all childhood brain tumors.

An Adiarsville Middle School teacher, Christy Ridley, organized the event.

They raised over $5,000 to help local families affected by cancer, and money from T-shirt sales and sponsors is still coming in, the county school system said in a Facebook post.

"From the field formation to the inspirational songs sung by the AMS Chorus to the survivor lap; what a testament to a rock-solid community anchored in love, support, and STRENGTH," the post said.