South Ridge Kids Raise Money for Student Diagnosed with Leukemia

Anton Carlson was diagnosed with leukemia at the end of March.

CULVER, Minn.- We know how devastating it can be when cancer disrupts your life, takes you away from your routine and your friends, and even takes away your hair.

But the teachers and students over at South Ridge School in Culver wanted to make one student know he was loved and supported when cancer took him away from the classroom.

Anton Carlson’s is in 5th grade.

“He gets so excited to tell you about what he’s reading. He’ll just go off on a tangent! Like… Okay, okay slow down now, let’s get back to what we’re doing,” South Ridge staff Jaslyn Wolfe said.

At the end of March, Anton was diagnosed with leukemia, taken out of school away from his parents and three younger siblings for treatment in the Twin Cities.

Even though he was far away from familiarity, those back at South Ridge School wanted to make sure Anton and his family didn’t feel alone in the fight.

“It was a surprise. The fifth grade class wanted to do something for Anton and they’ve actually been doing quite a bit of stuff,” Anton’s mom Becky Carlson said.

That’s why Anton’s teachers challenged their students to raise money for his family.

“As much as we wish we could cure leukemia for him, we thought maybe we could help the family out,” Anton’s homeroom teacher Ann Reyelts said.

If the students could raise 12 hundred dollars in one week, some teachers promised to shave off all of their hair.

“I did not want to cut my hair off at all and I shared it openly with the kids, but I told them that sometimes when you know that somebody needs help, you just have to step into something that’s hard to make a difference for something that’s really good,” South Ridge teacher Alethea Montgomery said.

And to the teachers’ surprise, the money poured in.

“They were running around their homes and collecting out of their piggy banks,” Montgomery said.

Anton’s classmates more than doubled their original goal, raising nearly three thousand dollars.

“It was definitely a mind–blowing thing when we they put it out there. It was unbelievable the generosity of our community and his classmates,” Anton’s dad Justin Carlson said.

And when it came to making the cut, Anton’s mom facetimed him into the big event.

“He thought it was awesome, and he also thought it was funny that there are three bald teachers who are going around the school,” Becky said.

To his teachers, vanity was no match for supporting a beloved student.

“It’s hair, it’ll grow back… Whatever,” Reyelts said.

Anton’s classmates are continuing to raise money for the Carlsons in different ways, including a pop tab drive and benefit dinner coming up at the end of the May.