Seniors Give Principal Their Trip Cash for Cancer Fight

Kids these days: They're selfish navel-gazers who ... well, scratch that because apparently they give up four years of hard work to help out their principal's fight against cancer: The graduating class at Profile Junior-Senior High School in Bethlehem, NH, is giving the money raised for its class trip to Courtney Vashaw, who has been diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of cancer. "She's just very caring, very selfless, and we wanted to be selfless, too," one senior tells WMUR. Vashaw says her school works hard teaching students compassion and caring for others, but she never thought that would directly affect her.

"It is very hard for me to accept help, and I have no idea what to say to you," a visibly choked-up Vashaw told the kids. She adds: "They are (a) pretty remarkable, fun, astonishing group of people." The class had planned to spend four days at a ranch in upstate New York until Vashaw told them of her diagnosis. The class unanimously voted to give her nearly $8,000 for medical care that they had saved. "Every one of us has a connection with her, and she has given so much to us that we just wanted to give back," says the class president. The seniors will still have a trip, but it will be local and they are planning more fundraisers for Vashaw. (More uplifting news stories.)