WHS Honors Past Leadership Student

Mekenna Wieda, Reporter

“I watched him go from being a freshman that didn’t necessarily appreciate being here to a student who, because he was suddenly very, very ill, appreciated every chance he had to be here at school. He persevered,” art teacher Michelle Turner said. “He was better at handing in homework that kids who were healthy. He got to where he didn’t take any moment for granted.”

It was the beginning of second semester of freshman year in 2001 for Jordan Scheer when he was diagnosed with leukemia. Just a few short years later, he passed on Sept. 7, 2005.

“I watched him get super involved. He did Mr. WHS and Leadership and Student Council. He did all kinds of things that kids nowadays seem to think would just be extra work because Jordan wanted to really experience high school and have a good time,” Turner said.

In 20015, to honor Scheer’s involvement in Leadership, the class founded the Jordan Scheer Memorial Children’s Relay for Life.

“The past ten years we’ve raised a little under $200,000. This year we will surpass that. Our goal is to raise $24,000 this year,” senior Sammie Brueggemann said.
The money from Relay for Life helps kids like Scheer and hopefully will help find a cure for cancer one day. High school students play an important role in making events at Relay for Life exciting for the students attending.

“We hold a beginning ceremony to get people pumped up and as soon as the kids get here their grade and their class will go down to a room and have camp counselors that are volunteers and student counsel members,” Brueggemann said.

While attending the Jordan Scheer Memorial Children’s Relay for Life, younger students from the surrounding elementary schools get to participate in not only the relay, but other activities hosted by businesses and clubs from the high school.

“Every kid walks the first ceremonial lap and then we have booths set up around from clubs from the high school, and they can go there and play a free game. We have other booths also that are from businesses and schools,” Brueggemann said. “They will sell things like getting your face painted, you can buy some cotton candy, food, whatever you want to do. The sports teams also go on the field and a lot of the kids love that. They like to play football or golf with the girls.”

The Jordan Scheer Memorial Children’s Relay for Life is taking place on Friday, April 29 from 4:00-7:30 p.m.
“I think it’s amazing that his name lives on,” Turner said, “because hopefully events like this one day will raise the money to find a cure for cancer.”