Tyler Ziemba is a fifth-grade student and SCA President at Woodstock Elementary.
Ziemba is a serious football player. He is number 28 for the Woodstock Rams in the Woodstock Recreation League. For five seasons, he has always worn number 28.
For years, Ziemba’s football team has worn pink socks for their games in October in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Sadly, the football field was not the only place Ziemba heard about this disease.
“When I was in kindergarten, my grandma had breast cancer. I was really worried about her then and I still worry about her,” he said.
Thankfully, Ziemba’s grandmother is a breast cancer survivor.
Inspired by his grandmother, and his team’s efforts every October, Ziemba decided that he wanted to give his teacher a special gift. The perfect gift, he decided, was a bright pink shirt that she could wear throughout October to support Breast Cancer Awareness—similar to what he was doing with his team. He wanted the front of the shirt to have his team’s logo. The back of the shirt would have28 (his number) and say “Fourth Grade Teacher.”
But Tyler didn’t stop there. He talked with his mom about getting pink shirts for his previous teachers (kindergarten through third grade), so all of his teachers so far would have pink shirts.
He did just that – delivered t-shirts with the team logo on the front, along with his number and an identifier for which teacher they were for Ziemba.
This is a tradition that the young athlete and leader has continued through fifth grade this year. Ziemba has given pink shirts to all of his teachers and his current principal—nine in all.
Way to go!