Due to the combined efforts of sixth-grade Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School student Hannah Meehan and foreign language teacher Lori Senia, the faculty and staff at OBMS have raised $1,700 for the Lauren’s First and Goal Foundation through the annual “Dress Down Friday”.
During “Dress Down Friday,” faculty and staff of Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School wear casual clothing and jeans to school, in exchange for donating to a charity. The selection of this year’s charitable recipient was inspired by the efforts of the September Kids Cancer Awareness Gold Ribbon Campaign, which was organized by sixth-grade student Hannah Meehan.

In addition to the efforts on the school level, Gina Carter's math students enthusiastically got in on the effort by donating loose change each day for almost two weeks. As a result, they students raised $57, to which Mrs. Carter personally matched.

The mission of Lauren's First and Goal is to provide financial support for brain tumor research and cancer services, and to increase overall awareness of the disease. The founder of Lauren's First and Goal, Marianne Loose, is a Connetquot High School graduate from the Class of 1985.