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"Every penny raised will go straight to the Ronald McDonald House," said Patterson. "Proceeds will not be used to pay expenses or rent on the Community Service Center."
Patterson chose the fund-raising effort as part of her senior project because of her family's experience some 20 years ago.
"My sister died of a brain tumor when she was 22 months old. My parents stayed in the Ronald McDonald House for eight weeks while she was sick, and it didn't cost them a dime," she said.
A nationwide network of Ronald McDonald houses exists to help the parents and families of severely ill children. Parents and family members can stay for free at the houses while their children are hospitalized and receiving treatment, Patterson said.
Former SMHS teacher Frances Hess, Patterson's mentor for the project, said the idea of raising money for the Ronald McDonald House was Patterson's from the beginning.
"We've worked together for 15 hours, and I'm really impressed with the quality of Becky Jo's work - it's unusual to see this degree of responsibility in a teenager," Hess said. "Her goal is $500, and I think she'll make it."
A health occupations student, Patterson is president of SMHS's Health Occupations Students of America. She placed 10th nationally in Medical Math during HOSA competition this year and plans to pursue a career in a health-related field. She is the daughter of Mike and Martha Patterson of Dillsboro.
Patterson has enlisted volunteers both from her church, Old Savannah Baptist, and from the community to help prepare and serve Saturday's meal. Most food has been donated by local grocery stores and restaurants, she said, but any additional contributions, including cakes for the cakewalk, will be welcome.
Patterson is one of several SMHS students to combine fund-raising and community service efforts with their senior projects this year, said SMHS English teacher Alice Pendergast, the high school's senior project coordinator.
Others who have organized fund-raisers as part of their project include LeAnn Ensley, who raised several hundred dollars for the local foster care program; Rachel Coggins, who raised money for the Cherokee Dialysis Center; Kathy Novgrod, who helped with raffles and worked on a quilt recently auctioned to benefit Chris Lopez, a local man who is in need of organ transplants; Lauren Kinsland, who raised $700 for Habitat for Humanity; and Ethan Mechling, who organized a golf tournament to benefit Outreach International Organization, a human development group dedicated to eliminating disease, hunger and poverty.
In addition, Pendergast said several students have sponsored community service projects like health care screenings for their fellow students.
Pendergast said SMHS is seeing an increase in the number of projects that include fund-raising or community service components, a trend she attributes to the high school's current requirement that research papers written as part of the senior project be issue-oriented.
In the past SMHS teachers allowed students to write about anything that interested them or write "how-to" papers, Pendergast said. Now students are required to delve more deeply into a subject.
Patterson's research paper explored the educational barriers facing children who suffer from cerebral palsy.
Anyone wishing to donate food, cakes or make a monetary contribution for Saturday's benefit may call Patterson at 586-2455.
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Patterson