Sofia Urbaniak stands amid the sea of blue that the junior class wears on Valley Cup days.

For Sofia, cheering on her classmates from the bleachers and wearing a blue t-shirt means more than just having school spirit. The current junior in the class of 2019 has a personal connection to her class cause, the ALS Association.

Her father, David Urbaniak, was diagnosed with Primary Lateral Sclerosis, a rare form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, when Sofia was in the second grade.

Signs began with small incidents, including tripping over his own feet as he walked up steps and stumbling on flat surfaces. In subsequent months, Sofia’s father went through a series of doctors appointments and experienced MRIs and speech tests.  

According to the ALS Association, ALS affects brain and spinal cord cells that normally work to keep the body’s muscles moving. As the cells begin to deteriorate, the brain begins to lose the ability to control muscle movements throughout the body. The symptoms that develop with ALS generally include difficulty speaking and moving; however, the severity of these symptoms differ from person to person.

Although Sofia did not understand the full meaning of ALS until middle school, she knew that it made her family unique. By always supporting one another, the Urbaniak family has been able to keep a positive outlook on life, despite the challenges that come along.

Experiences like these and her father’s strength are what inspired Sofia to bring ALS into a new light. When she began high school, Sofia had a mission to spread awareness about ALS to her peers.

After winning the election for class president her freshman year, Sofia began turning her words into actions. When different organizations were proposed to the council and representatives spoke to the student body, Marisa Mathias, the class advisor, decided that ALS was the right class cause. She knew that it meant more than just a color of a t-shirt to wear on Valley Cup dress up days.

During the class cause week of May 2017, Sofia spoke to her peers, explaining that in addition to having a personal connection, she hoped for her classmates to learn more about ALS.

“I wanted our class to better understand what ALS is, what it affects, and who it affects in a more personal way,” Sofia said.

To achieve these goals as a class, Sofia encourages her peers to participate in walks, fundraisers, or other activities to spread awareness. The class of 2019 has become involved in this cause through participating in t-shirt sales, running bake sales, and attending assemblies with guest speakers.

The annual Walk to Defeat ALS will take place at Saddle River County Park in Saddle Brook on June 4. There will be music, food, and support dedicated to the ALS Association.

“It’s people coming together for a good cause, which is always a great thing to be a part of,” Mathias said. “The most important part is the walk and showing your support.”

The class of 2019 aims to double the amount of money raised each year. This goal has been reached during both their freshman and sophomore years. During the 2017-1018 school year, Mathias has proposed a goal of at least 100 students to get up, go out, donate, and show their support at the Walk for ALS.

Sofia has worked to educate Pascack Valley High School about a disease that has a personal connection to her life, and she now hopes that the rest of the school will join the fight against ALS.