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Student of the Year: Jack’s Campaign

By Annie Blaylock McQueen, Staff writer | January 7, 2019

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Team Victory Royale includes (pictured, from left) Caroline Henderson, Caroline Melody, Laura Shepherd, Jack Ferruzzo, Michael Duncan and John Austin Anderson.

Most high school kids are focused on homework, the big game or college applications. Jack Ferruzzo, a junior at Memorial High School, is also focused on something else: raising money to fight cancer.

Jack has been nominated to compete for the title Student of the Year by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Jack has very personal reasons to compete for the title. Jack’s grandfather, Ken DeLorenzo, has been battling lymphoma for eight years and his great-aunt Ginger Upton died from lymphoma four years ago.

Jack asked a group of some of his friends from baseball, elementary and middle school, and church, including Austin Anderson, Michael Duncan, Caroline Henderson, Caroline Melody and Laura Shepherd to help his efforts. They formed a team – Team Victory Royale – to raise awareness and campaign for Jack. Members of Team Victory Royale are from Memorial High School, The Kinkaid School, St. Agnes Academy and Episcopal High School. Each of the team members has a close connection to someone who has battled a form of cancer.

“My favorite part [of the campaign] has been getting together with my team to figure out ways that we can raise a lot of money,” said Jack.

LLS funds support research for treatments in the cancer community and has invested more than $1.2 billion. Team Victory Royale has set a goal of raising $100,000.

To help meet their goal, they are hosting “spirit nights” at various restaurants around Houston from Jan. 11 - March 1. The restaurants will donate 20 percent of proceeds to their campaign.

The community is invited to join them at their first all-day event at Texadelphia (8383 Westheimer Rd.) on Jan. 15 from 11 a.m. -9 p.m. They are also writing letters to family, friends, classmates and business owners asking for their support and donations. See their campaign here.