West Ranch High School students held a tennis tournament on Saturday to raise funds for local nonprofit organization Circle of Hope, aimed to help local families battling cancer with resources and assistance.
West Ranch seniors Supraj Mathad, Juan Francisco Llusa and Rahm Mehra said they organized the event because they wanted to give back to their community that has given so much to them and other students.
Over the course of the past two months, they collectively raised over $1,500, including on Saturday, which had student participants support the cause through a doubles tennis tournament open to people of all ages.
“We just wanted to make a difference in the community,” said Francisco Llusa, who did the research in selecting which organization to support. Circle of Hope was widely supported by many in the community, he said, for how highly trusted the nonprofit organization is.
As it was their first time organizing the event, they described the experience as fun, and hope other students will continue on the tradition once they walk across the stage at graduation and head off to college next year.
The three have gained leadership skills, and the confidence to network and collaborate with outside entities from their school campus, they said.
But for them, at the heart of the work is knowing that “we’re really grateful to have what we have today. Be able to do all the things we do, and there’s kids out there who need help, have cancer, who aren’t able to do the same things that we’re able to do and we take for granted in our day-to-day lives,” Mathad said. “So I think it’s in our duty to help them.”
For more information about Aces Against Cancer and future events, visit acesagainstcancer.org/#founders.
