The Future Business Leaders of America Club (FBLA) of Shelton High School raised $2,575 for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Members of the FBLA planned and executed a charity 3‑on‑3 Homeroom Basketball tournament titled Layups for LaPorta which was held on March 15, 2011 in the Shelton High School (SHS) Gymnasium.
The event was held in honor of a beloved Shelton High School teacher’s wife, Jeanne LaPorta, who recently passed away.
St. Jude is an organization that meant a great deal to Mrs. LaPorta.
Sean Fernandez, FBLA President, and Tyler Gaetano, FBLA Vice President, were instrumental in organizing and running the tournament. On March 15th, over 100 students reported to the gym after school to take part in the event. The tournament consisted of teams made up from the different homerooms in SHS. Each team competed in a round robin with a 3 game guarantee. The entry fee was $5 per player. The competition lasted for several hours and provided quite a few “nail-biting” games for viewer entertainment.
The event was supported by SHS faculty and staff. Teachers and administrators volunteered their time officiating games, selling snacks, and supporting their students and fellow teacher. Dr. Smith, SHS Headmaster, could be found on the main court refereeing games. Superintendent Burr also was on hand for a portion of the event to see what our students were able to accomplish by combining hard work, diligent planning, and a strong connection to a beloved teacher and coach. It was truly an amazing event.
The FBLA Club also received many donations from students, teachers, other SHS clubs and the general public. In total, FBLA raised $2,575 in memory of Jeanne LaPorta for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Tennessee. The FBLA would like to thank everyone who donated their time, support, goods, and money.
