The Reagan community is known for giving love and support to students and faculty in need. Recently, Sophomore Angel Batista was diagnosed with Leukemia.

Over the past few months, Batista has been battling his illness and putting up a strong fight.

In support of Batista and his family, many Reagan clubs and organizations have been lending a helping hand through this difficult time.

The Reagan football team in particular has reached out to the Batista family. This is Batista’s first year playing football for Reagan.

Even though he has only played Reagan football for one year, the players and coaches have not hesitated to reach out and fundraise to show their compassion and generosity towards Batista and his family.

When the football team heard of Batista’s diagnosis, they asked for donations from players’ families.

“Our players play for him everyday,” said head football coach Josh McGee. “It has been amazing to see our football family rally around Angel and his family during this tough time. It truly shows that “No Raider Rides Alone.”

Even organizations that are not directly involved with Batista have used their influence to either fundraise or spread awareness.

The Reagan Cancer Awareness Research Education (CARE) Club was founded eight years ago on the principle of cancer awareness and aid for families going through difficult times.

“CARE club was started when a student was diagnosed with cancer and the school wanted to get involved,” said club sponsor Chris Vogel. The school helps by teaching students about cancer awareness and how it affects peoples’ lives.

Starting off, the club had very few members. Eventually, CARE club expanded from just research to additional work and projects to increase awareness and further help affected families.

They started doing community events outside of school, and the students responded well.

CARE club now has over 100 members.

Today, CARE club is still making no-slip socks for children at Brenner’s Children Hospital, doing yard work at the homes of affected families, and decorating and filling stockings during Christmas-time for students at Bolton Elementary School.

This year, the CARE club is reaching out to Batista by personally writing sympathy cards. The cards are a new project used to encourage every family at Reagan that is dealing with illnesses.

Students can join CARE club to volunteer for events that educate and aid the community.

This is one of the various ways to get involved with rallying around Batista and his family in support.

Another way Reagan is supporting Batista is the Entrepreneurship 2 honors class started a class project of making bracelets in honor of Batista.

“It was a class project and whoever’s idea won, we got to sell in the lunchroom,” said Junior Caroline Marvin. “It was basically the class’s and teacher’s idea.”

The project, called Reagan Rage, is donating all proceeds made selling bracelets to Batista and his family.

The $3 bracelets are now being sold in all lunches until December. The personalized bracelets can have words such as “greatness” and “Angel” on them to represent each student’s personal support for Angel.

Students at Reagan can have a large impact on the lives of those in the community that may be struggling with illness or loss of a family member due to illness. Reagan students, faculty and staff have many opportunities to change the lives of  people in the Reagan family.