Last Modified: Monday, October 24, 2011 1:07 PM

BY NATALIE STEWART / AMERICAN PRESS

Students at Dolby Elementary are “Rockin with Roderick” to help a local family with medical costs.
Second-grader Roderick Christian was diagnosed with bone cancer at the beginning of the school year, Kate Valentine, third-grade teacher and student council sponsor, said.
The school’s student council will host a “daylong dance” in hopes of raising $1,000 for the Christian family, Valentine said.
“The student council wanted to raise money last year for cancer research,” she said. “Within the first two or three weeks of school, Roderick was diagnosed with cancer, and the kids wanted to help him.”
Valentine said they originally planned to have an after-school dance, but the principal suggested having it during the school day.
“Students in each grade will have about 30 minutes to dance, and it’s also ‘What I Want To Be When I Grow Up’ day, so they will be dressed up for what they want to be,” she said.
Students are encouraged to donate $2, she said. “But we won’t turn anything down.”
“We will have cookies, drinks, a DJ, and the faculty is making goodies that kids can buy,” Valentine said. “Hopefully, Roderick will be able to come with his class.”
Valentine said they hope to raise at least $1,000 to give to Roderick’s family to help with medical costs.
“I know the hardships placed on their family, and we want to show him that we all support him even though he isn’t here,” she said. “We think about him every day and his classmates are supporting him through this.”
Christian has been traveling back and forth to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston for treatment and surgeries, Valentine said.