Fighting cancer at Davis Drive Elementary School involves dancing, walking, singing, running, eating and resting. At the April 30 “Laps of Love” mini-relay, students took turns making laps around the carpool lane at the front of the school to raise money for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.

Teacher assistant Karen Muncie led first-graders in an improvised dance to “Achy-Breaky Heart” as they took a break from laps. “Today’s event is a nice break for a good cause,” Muncie said.

Starting with an opening ceremony at 8 a.m., parents, grandparents and staff members who are cancer survivors kicked off the event by completing the first lap. First-graders sang “Love in Any Language” accompanied by sign language. Afterwards, each grade level walked or ran laps for one hour each until 2 p.m.

Parent Amber Harris’ family moved to Cary in January. They had participated in a similar event at their elementary school in Tennessee last year. “This morning, they mentioned that one in three people will get cancer in their lifetime,” said Harris, whose first-grade son, Mills, was walking laps. “Mills wondered if he’d be one of those people. I think it’s good that kids are aware.”

“We’re walking because we can help people with cancer and get medicine for them,” said second-grader Madeline Rockett. To help raise money for the cause, Madeline and her classmates participated in Reading for Life, which allows students to read books and take tests to gain pledge money from parents for their efforts.

Second-grade teacher and organizer Mandy Harmych, who has a personal connection to the cause because her mother and grandmother died of cancer, said staff, parents and students worked hard in the months leading up to Laps of Love to meet their financial goal. Several teachers gave up two Saturday nights to host a Parents Night Out at the school for about 100 students in December and February. Staff sold bracelets, which students sported around wrists and ankles. And during Laps of Love, volunteers sold countless bags of popcorn, cookies and lemonade for 25 cents each to add to American Cancer Society donations.

In all, the school raised more than $13,000 for ACS.

As the first-grade students wrapped up their hour, “Who Let the Dogs Out” blasted from the speakers and led to an impromptu dance party. Not long after, second-graders wearing matching tie-dyed T-shirts hit the ground running, full of energy and enthusiasm.