Pink pumpkin project makes a statement

Blacksburg High School student Megan Collins is shown with the pink "M&M" pumpkin she created for an English project in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Megan Collins took a novel approach when it came time to turn in her pumpkin for a Halloween project in English.

In the spirit of Halloween, Blacksburg High English teacher Pam Hughes asked her students to paint and dress up pumpkins to look like popular characters from books.

Collins received a judge's award for a pumpkin she dubbed an "M&M" Breast Cancer Awareness Pumpkin.

Dressed like a pink M&M character, the pumpkin combined the Blacksburg High sophomore's love of the color pink with a more personal interest in drawing attention to the issue of breast cancer.

"A family member died of breast cancer two years ago. I thought this would be a good way to remember her," Collins said. "I have always liked the color pink and thought the pink M&M candy would be a good character. I enjoyed working on the project."

There is another way residents nationally are supporting research for breast cancer. It's as simple as buying the right stamp.

The U.S. Post Office issued a breast cancer research postal stamp in 1998. As of Oct. 10, the U.S. Post Office has sold 835,202,000 stamps.

These stamps have raised $63.9 million for breast cancer research. The Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp is still on sale and available at post offices nationwide and online at www.usps.com.

For her part, Hughes is pleased her literary pumpkins contest continues to have a positive impact on students.

"This is the first time I have had a student make a statement about an issue through the Literary Pumpkins," Hughes said. "Megan certainly drew attention to the cause during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am so proud of her."