The St. Jude Parent/Teen Golden Gala is back. With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, high school students Caroline Culp (The Potomac School), Michelle Miller (The Field School) and Avery Mocek (The Madeira School) and a committee of 42 teens and their parents are doing their part to help raise awareness and funds for teens battling cancer. One third of the patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are teens ages 15-18. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent when the hospital opened in 1962 to more than 80 percent today. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

The success of this event is evident as it enters its third year with students participating from 19 schools spanning McLean, Great Falls, Arlington, Vienna, Middleburg, Purcellville, D.C., Chevy Chase, and Potomac. The teen committee members put the entire event together with guidance from their parents. Everything about the gala is influenced by the teen committee members: the title, logo, entertainment, auction and marketing. Teens can create a fundraising page to earn the cost of their ticket, $100. They can earn up to three tickets for themself and their parents.

The event, featuring Hot 99.5 DJ, Emily, as emcee, will include a host of local teen performers as well as desserts from D.C.-area restaurants and bakeries. There will also be both a live and silent auction.

Last year 320 attendees came together and raised $134,500. Tickets can be purchased online until Sept. 21 at www.stjude.org/goldengala. All names must be on the invite list for the French Embassy by Sept. 21 in order to attend. No tickets will be available for purchase day of the event.