Amid shouts of “I’m done!” from seniors and the sounds of Rihanna’s “Stay,” students piled into the gym May 23 for an Leukemia Lymphoma Month celebration hosted by HOT 99.5.

While it was hard to hear ABC 7 anchor Cynne Simpson and HOT 99.5 show host Kruz, they congratulated the leadership class and school on their efforts and hard work, finishing finals, and for the seniors, high school.

The celebration included various speakers from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Pepco Holdings, Inc., D.C. United player Chris Pontius and others whose lives were affected by Whitman’s fundraising.

“That’s incredible!” Simpson said after repeated exclamations of the amount of money raised for LLM this year ($91,761). “Over the last eight years, over $185,000 has been raised by this school. That money is all going to save lives.”

Vice president of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s department of Public Policy Brian Rosen told a short story about a young cancer patient, Emma, whose life was saved by a clinical trial that was funded and will continue to be funded by LLM money.

“More than a million americans are influenced by Whitman actions,” said Debbi Jarvis, group vice president of Pepco Holdings, Inc.’s corporate citizenship and social responsibility department.

Jarvis also awarded senior Valerie Acker with an eight-week internship in her office because of her efforts during LLM. Acker was the chief coordinator of LLM this past year and one of four students in the leadership class who applied for the internship, SGA advisor Sheryl Freedman said.

Damascus freshman Daniel Eisig recounted his battle with leukemia and congratulated and encouraged Whitman’s efforts.

“There are the types of people who are negative and dwell on things and there are the people here today who make things positive,” he said. “I’d like to thank everybody here today so give yourselves a round of applause.”

Gabrielle Urquhart, executive director of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, awarded Whitman with a research grant in its name.

“You are the number one fundraising school, nationally,” Urquhart said.

Finally, incoming school president Jorge Richardson and former school president Jacob Rosenblum took the mic to finish the celebration after junior Marcela Falck-Bados received the $91,761 check.

I felt so proud of everyone, said Rosenblum of the celebration.

“It was such a community effort and hearing all the medical research we would help was amazing,” he said