Duryea Elementary School teacher Stanisha Tappin was celebrated by Duryea faculty and staff on Oct. 11 during their annual Pink Out Day celebration.  

Oct. 17, 2024—Duryea Elementary School hosts its annual “Pink Out Day” each year in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year, however, Pink Out Day became a celebration of support for fifth grade teacher, Stanisha Tappin.

Tappin was diagnosed with stage two invasive ductal carcinoma last December. Since her initial diagnosis, Tappin has undergone chemotherapy and surgery. Although she is currently receiving daily radiation treatments, she still finds the strength to be a light for her students at Duryea.

Duryea Principal Tomika Williams, right, and Stanisha Tappin, left, share a moment of celebration during the Pink Out Day walk at Duryea Elementary School.

“It’s been nothing but God,” Tappin said. “I’ve had some dark days, it hasn’t been easy, but I think my positivity overall has helped me stay grounded. I’m a fighter. It’s been one day at a time, one foot in front of the other.”

During recovery from her surgery in August, Tappin missed the first day of school for the first time in her 11-year teaching career.

Tappin, right, credits her son for being her biggest supporter and her “why” as she continues the fight to overcome breast cancer.

“I’ve never not been here for my kids on the first day of school,” Tappin said. “It’s important to me to build those initial relationships and set those expectations with my students. I tried so hard to come back a week after surgery, but my doctor insisted that I take two weeks to recover. It was hard.”

The staff at Duryea has been supportive of Tappin’s journey from the beginning of chemotherapy to the idea of a Pink Out walk around the campus to commemorate her journey.

Duryea teachers Veronica Grenado and Jackie Perez designed and distributed Pink Out Day shirts for faculty and staff to celebrate Tappin during the Pink Out Day walk around Duryea’s campus on Oct. 11.

“The awareness is always there but when it is someone in our school family, it hits differently,” said Tomicka Williams, Duryea principal. “Ms. Tappin’s diagnosis was a shock for the entire staff, but we knew that with her spirit, that she would be an overcomer and a fighter. That’s the essence of Stanisha. We’re going to always find a way at Duryea to make sure she is supported.”

Teachers and staff at Duryea Elementary School hosted a Pink Out Day walk on Oct. 11 in honor of fifth grade teacher, Stanisha Tappin.

Duryea teachers Veronica Grenado and Jackie Perez designed a special shirt for Duryea staff to wear on Pink Out Day to symbolize the support that the entire staff has for Tappin as she continues to fight on her journey through conquering breast cancer.

“Cancer is not me,” Tappin said. “Cancer will never be me. It’s a few pages out of my story, it’s a comma in my sentence, it’s a speed bump that I’m getting over. I’m going to continue to give the best parts of me to my students. Cancer hasn’t affected the way that I teach or advocate for my students. Before my diagnosis, I was me, and after I beat it, I will still be me.”