SLIDESHOW: Framingham Principals Take Pies To The Face

Outside on a sunny Friday afternoon before the entire student body, Wilson Elementary School Principal John Haidemenos Jr. stuck out his tongue to first graders Joao de Oliveria and Alina Carrasquillo.

Moments later the two students smiled and giggled as the pushed a chocolate creme pie into their principal’s face.

It was the first of three pies he took for a good cause. As did Wilson Vice Principal Michelle da Costa.

Earlier this year, the school set a goal of raising $3,200 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through a Pennies for Patients fundraiser.

The students surpassed that goal and raised $4,715.72, said Wilson second grade teacher’s assistant Jacqueline Carrasquillo.

The reward -- pies in the principal’s and vice principal’s faces.

“What is more important is how our community of students have grown in their empathy and compassion towards those in need,” said Carrasquillo, who also is the mother of Alina.

The students were motivated by daily announcements reminding them they had the power to “Erase Leukemia one coin at a time.

“The slogan brought a new grassroots campaign consisting of participation by all students for just one coin,” said Carrasquillo, a Framingham resident.

The students also incorporated their passion for the cause into the “Bump Out Cancer” campaign.

The Framingham elementary school held its first-ever school-wide “fist bump” and donated $500 to Liam Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald, 9, in November fist-bumped his way through the Boston Bruins’ line-up, as the team came off the ice after warmups. Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, when he was just 4 years old, he is now cancer free.

Earlier this year, Fitzgerald began a bump out cancer campaign fundraiser.

Last month, after raising almost $150,000 he was named the Man of The year by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

At Wilson elementary, students raised money for the Society via sticker sales and a photo booth. They also held family fundraisers at Chuck E Cheese and Uno’s on Route 9.

“What was most impressive were the grade level coin jars which filled so quickly outside the café and were plenty heavy,“ said Carrasquillo.

Students also were encouraged to write “Pages for Patients” and placed them in our mail box.

More than 100 letters were mailed to the Society to share with children who are currently ill, said Carrasquillo. dozen

A dozen students were chosen to create the pies and “pie” the principals. Two students from each grade K-5 were selected.

“They worked so hard to achieve their goal“ said Carrasquillo. “This is their reward.”

Before the pies could be created, the entire school voted on a flavor of the pies to toss. The votes for pumpkin, lemon, banana and chocolate were graphed and chocolate was the overwhelming winner.

“Glad it was not lemon,” said Vice Principal da Costa. “The lemon would have stung the eyes.”

Kindergarteners Ana Maria and Bryan de Oliveira started the outdoor event off pushing a pie into da Costa’s face.

Then, first graders hit Haidemenos with his pie.

Next up were the second graders for da Costa’s second pie.

Third graders Sarah Andrade and Ethan Shrag then pushed and swooshed a pie into their principal’s face.

Fourth grade students Yvy Lima and Bryan Bueno threw the finally pie at the school’s vice principal.

And then fifth graders David Bacelar and Victoria Nascimento rubbed a pie into Haidemenos face, and then his head.

“Maybe, next year we should consider a dunk tank,” said da Costa, as she tried to clean the chocolate and whipped creme from her face.

“I have it down my shirt and in my ears,” said Haidemenos. As he talked and posed for photos, students put fingers on his shirt so they could taste the chocolate pie.

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Click on the link below to view more than 40 photos from Petroni Media Company.