Standing at the gate with a bucket during the Senior Night football game, Oct. 11, William Malsh, freshman, asked people if they would like to donate money to help Jennifer Shipp, language arts teacher, who is currently fighting cancer for the fourth time. 

Malsh who is apart of the freshmen football team said he felt great about raising money for Shipp because it’s important to help people who are going through hard times in their life. 

“Definitely made me feel like I was doing something good, not just for the school but for the community in general, raising awareness,” Malsh said. 

Shipp will be gone for the rest of the semester and the football and cheerleader teams are raising money through a t-shirt sale to help her with her medical bills.

Junior Principal Dr. Dan Ramsey said Abbey Gradle, cheerleading coach, and Michael Stewart, football coach, wanted to do something to help her after he approached them with news about Shipp’s condition. 

“There’s been talk about a playoff shirt,” Dr. Ramsey said. “But the notation to do something for Mrs. Shipp came out last week when the news was out that she was going to be out the rest of the semester. Unfortunately, because of that and other health issues, she is out on sick leave so she’s not getting paid right now so they really saw an opportunity to step up and help.”

Shirts will be available for purchase during the week of Oct 28-31 for $5 during Flex Time. 

Dr. Ramsey said MHS, as a community, takes care of members of the MHS family. 

“I think Marquette’s always had a tradition of taking care of members of the Mustang family and our community at large and this is just another opportunity to keep being the good people that we are,” Dr. Ramsey said.

Stewart said the football team had already been thinking about a fundraiser through the American Cancer Society for the upcoming game against Pattonville before they heard the news about Shipp.

One way the football team wanted to help Shipp was to collect money at the gate during the last two home games. Stewart said so far they raised about $550 during last week’s football game. 

“I justs think it’s important to give back to the school,” Stewart said. “She’s an important part of the school and I think every teacher is valued and however we can help them as much as possible, we’re going to do whatever we can.”