Walkathon Unites Queens Students in Fight Against Cancer
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
At Frank Principe Park, dozens of students walked in circles under a bright fall sky, holding signs, sharing snacks, and talking about loved ones who had battled cancer. The event wasn’t just another student fundraiser — it was a personal mission for its organizer, 17-year-old Stella Nicolros.
A senior at St. Francis Preparatory School, Nicolros serves as lieutenant governor of Division 8A Key Club, a student-led organization dedicated to community service. Her division oversees several schools across western Queens — including Bard High School, Aviation High School, and the Academy of American Studies — and this fall, she brought them together for one shared goal: raising money for the American Cancer Society.
The walkathon, held in October at Frank Principe Park in Maspeth, raised about $600 — a modest but meaningful achievement for an event put together in just a few weeks. “It was something I threw together,” Nicolros said, laughing. “But it turned out great. Everyone had fun, and we all came together for something that mattered.”
For Nicolros, the cause was deeply personal. Her father died of cancer in 2020, and she said his memory inspired the walkathon’s timing and purpose. “October was his birth month, and he really cared about breast cancer awareness,” she said. “I thought it would be the perfect way to honor him. A lot of kids wore pink, and it just felt right.”
The event was coordinated through the Sunnyside Community Center Key Club, a unique chapter that operates outside of any one school — the only one of its kind in New York State. Unlike traditional Key Clubs that are hosted by specific high schools, the Sunnyside chapter welcomes any local teen interested in service. Nicolros, who joined after transferring from another school, said the club is still growing and rebuilding after a lull in participation.
“Honestly, we’re building it from the ground up,” she said. “Before, it was kind of inactive. But now that more students are joining and taking initiative, it’s becoming a really active, exciting place for service.”
Nicolros credits much of the club’s recent progress to strong ties between members and their Kiwanis sponsors — the adult branch of the international service organization that funds and mentors student-led clubs. For the walkathon, members of local Kiwanis chapters attended and supported the effort. “They’ve been great,” Nicolros said. “Having their help and funding means students can think beyond the basics — not just bake sales, but events that actually make an impact.”
The event’s preparation took weeks of online promotion, outreach to schools, and coordination across divisions. Nicolros designed posters, created sign-up forms, and reached out directly to Key Club presidents throughout her region. “I already have a network of schools that I work with,” she said. “I help them run their fundraisers, so when I reached out about this one, a lot of them were excited to join.”
The day of the walkathon, students walked laps around the park, distributed snacks, and volunteered to help other parkgoers. Many came from different schools and backgrounds, but Nicolros said the atmosphere was full of energy and unity. “It was really sweet,” she said. “Kids were laughing, cheering, just being together. That’s what service is supposed to feel like.”
Looking ahead, Nicolros hopes to build on the momentum. Her next goal is to secure more consistent funding from Kiwanis sponsors to help her division’s clubs host larger community events and attend leadership conferences. “These students care about service,” she said. “They just need more opportunities to show it.”
For Nicolros, the walkathon was more than a fundraiser — it was a reminder of why she serves. “When you bring people together to help others, you see the best parts of your community,” she said. “And for me, doing that in honor of my dad made it even more meaningful.”
Students interested in joining the Sunnyside Community Center Key Club can attend meetings on Thursdays or reach out through the club’s Instagram page. “It’s open to any high schooler,” Nicolros said. “It looks great on college applications, but more than that, it’s a place to grow and make a difference. The more people who join, the better it gets.”
