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  • Duncan High School student council members surround Mike Taylor during a pep rally/dodge ball game held Friday, March 15, 2013, to conclude a week of fundraising efforts by the school, which generated the amount shown on the cards. Next to Taylor is fellow student Jack Braught. Derrick Miller

    Mike Taylor pg5a_4140.jpg

  • Derrick Miller/The Duncan Banner Duncan High School seniors point during the alma mater as part of the school's Leggo Week pep rally.

    3-17 Mike Taylor and Leggo Week2.jpg

  • Derrick Miller/The Duncan Banner Mike Taylor, right, was the focus for Duncan High School’s Leggo Week fundraising efforts. Collected funds were $20,471.20, with hopes of purchasing a van with a lift for Taylor. Derrick Miller

    Mike Taylor and Leggo Week.jpg
March 17, 2013

DHS junior touched by efforts of fellow students

Student Council raises funds to help Mike Taylor

Derrick Miller The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Duncan High School students love Mike Taylor.

And they proved that love by raising $20,471.20 through Leggo Week, a week-long fundraising effort headed by the DHS Student Council. The goal is to use the money to buy a van with a wheelchair lift for Taylor to use.

This is the second year for Leggo Week. Last year, money raised went toward the construction of the new Stephens County Youth Shelter. This year, the student council members chose a more personal cause — their friend, Taylor.

“It was very appreciated,” Taylor said. “It was great.”

While Taylor did feel a bit overwhelmed at times by his popularity with the student body, he was touched by the generosity of his peers. Taylor is a junior at Duncan High School, who has mobility issues that keep him wheelchair bound most of the time.

Taylor recently underwent surgery on his legs in hopes to gain more mobility and started rehab last week. For now, when he’s at school, he uses a motorized wheelchair. The van with lift would help transport the wheelchair to him home.

“I’ve had a hard time balancing school work and learning to walk,” Taylor said. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to walk more. That’s my life-long goal.”

Leggo Week was a welcome back for Taylor, following his absence from school. This is partly why Monday kicked off the fundraising.

Taylor had fun during Leggo Week, and he realized how much work had gone into the project. Student Council members began planning the fundraiser toward the end of 2012.

“Like always, it’s very interesting,” Taylor said of Leggo Week. “They enjoy it. They always do.

“I don’t want it to be too much like work for them. Then they wouldn’t enjoy it as much.”

Although Taylor had a lot on his mind during the week, from school work to Leggo Week to his rehab, he has also been working toward the regional competition through the DHS Drama Department.

Taylor was slated to compete in competition Saturday. His competition piece was a domestic extemporaneous piece where he talks up to seven minutes about current news, after selecting a topic from several choices.

As with Leggo Week, Taylor is excited to see where the drama competition will lead.

“I could move on to state,” he said.

Results from the regional competition will be available in an upcoming edition of The Banner.

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