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Nicole received
the Young Peacemaker's Award
from the Herald News Newspaper. This
honor is bestowed upon students "who exemplify character and who's maturity,
kindness, and quiet leadership are planting the seeds of hope". Nicole had
been nominated by her Guidance Councilor, Mrs. Schlachter for the award. The
following is the letter of nomination she submitted to the newspaper.
We would like thank Mrs. Schlachter for her kindness and compassion
throughout Nicole's ordeal. She will forever be etched in our hearts.
Nicole addressed the 250 people present to a standing ovation. We are
extremely proud of her bravery and poise at such a young age.
 
Mrs. Schlachter & Nicole
Accepting the award
 
Telling the
audience of her ordeal
Hearing it from the crowd
Dear Herald News Nomination Committee: I am submitting this letter of nomination for my student, Nicole Gioia. I have had the honor of being her guidance counselor for three years. Nicole was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in September of 2001 and has been in the fight of her life ever since. Whereas she is not the first youngster to be diagnosed with cancer, she is the one-in-a million girl whose love of life and determination have defined her fight. Treatment protocols, remission, relapses, exhaustion, loss of hair, blood transfusions and surgery have never undermined her spirit. Nicole’s maturity is well-beyond her tender age of 14. Nicole has undertaken many charitable works despite her serious and often debilitating condition. She has a website where she refers visitors to view profiles of other children afflicted with cancer; hopefully attaining help for them. Nicole also worked with a fraternity at Rutgers University who sponsored a bone marrow drive for the National Bone Marrow Registry. Nicole additionally challenged herself physically and emotionally by walking in “Brian’s Run.” This race is a run in memory of Brian Kwiat of Wayne who died in 2001 of Aplastic Anemia. This run benefits Tomorrows Children’s Fund and Hackensack University Medical Center. Nicole also sets a powerful example of character by working through pain and exhaustion while attending Tae Kwon Do classes. Nicole also tours and speaks at bone marrow drives and challenges others to fight against cancer. At school Nicole inspires her classmates by refusing to give in to the side-effects of both the disease and treatments. She performed a hip-hop dance routine on stage for the school’s talent show and has sung and danced to standard Broadway tunes with the school chorus. Nicole has never used her illness to produce mediocre school work. She values every day she can attend school and works hard to maintain honor roll status. Despite insurmountable odds, Nicole sets the tone for respect of life and lives it to the fullest. She fights and works for others; she leads by example. Nicole never offers her own pain and suffering for an excuse. She lifts the spirits of all she meets with her beautiful smile. Nicole Gioia inspires the children, adults, educators, doctors, nurses, professional athletes and even the movie stars that she has met during treatment. And even though the risk for relapse remains extraordinarily high, she challenges all who meet her to live life to the fullest. She is the epitome of inner strength, character and life; a true example of making peace with the cards one is dealt. It is my extreme honor to nominate her for a Young Peacemaker. Thank you for this opportunity. Please feel to contact me for any questions you may have. Sincerely yours, Mrs. Denise Schlachter School Counselor for Nicole Gioia
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