Lower Moreland’s Mini-THON is beginning a new chapter this year under the leadership of
Spanish and French teacher Mrs. Ellen Segalow, who has taken on the role of advisor alongside her
husband, Mr. Adam Segalow. After more than two decades of teaching at Lower Moreland, Mrs.
Segalow brings enthusiasm, organization, and a deep appreciation for what Mini-THON means
to the school community.
She first attended the event nearly 18 years ago and was immediately drawn to its spirit. “To
me, Mini-THON is the culmination of everybody’s hard work,” she said. “It’s the one event in our
school that brings together students from every grade level. I’ve never seen anything else like
it.”
Mrs. Segalow also focuses on growth, not just reflecting on how much she has grown, but the
growth of the school, the growth of the event, and the legacy of how much money Mini-THON
has raised.
Now as advisors, Mr. and Mrs. Segalow hope to build on that legacy with fresh ideas and
greater community involvement. “Mini-THON has been amazing for so many reasons, but
there’s always room to grow,” Mr. Segalow explained. “I’d love to get more of our community
involved—local businesses, more alumni, and even residents who no longer have kids in the
school but still want to support a great cause. The more people we include, the bigger our
impact will be.”
One of their favorite traditions is the colorful display of bedsheets that line the gym walls each
year, representing each student committee or group. This year, they plan to contribute their own
advisor bedsheet that can be reused annually. Mrs. Segalow commented on this as a creative
way to add something. “It’s a small way to contribute something beautiful to the event,” she said.
Mr. and Mrs. Segalow complimented each other’s strengths—her planning and organization
paired with his creativity and artistic skill. They’ve been able to come up with some interesting initiatives this year working together as a team. “He’s incredibly creative, and I’m the planner,” she
said. “Together, I think we can pull off some really cool things.”
Another goal for this year is increasing participation among underclassmen. “Our juniors and
seniors always show up in big numbers, but I’d love to find ways to get freshmen and
sophomores more involved,” he said. “I want every student to feel that Mini-THON is something
special to be part of from the moment they enter high school.”
For them, Mini-THON’s true impact goes far beyond fundraising totals. When you’ve been affected by something you are bound to feel sympathy for others who have similarly been affected by it, and the Segalows understand that. “Almost everyone knows someone who’s been affected by cancer,” he said. “And when you realize that only four percent of cancer research funding goes toward pediatric cancer, you understand why what we do really matters.”
Now in her 21st year of teaching, Mrs. Segalow says she feels both honored and humbled to continue the tradition. She was not only proud of herself for how far she’s come, but proud of how the school is able to do things like this. “We’re doing this for something bigger than ourselves,” she reflected. “Students aren’t doing it for college applications or recognition—they’re doing it to make a difference.”
Balancing her teaching responsibilities with her new leadership role hasn’t been difficult for her. She has had the experience to deal with this and she has consistently possessed the abilities to lead. “When something is important to you, you find the time to do it—and to do it right,” she said. They also expressed gratitude toward those who have guided them through the transition. “Ms. Pearson and Mr. Baron have been incredibly supportive. They’ve answered every question and guided us every step of the way. We couldn’t have done this without them.”
With their dedication, creativity, and focus on community, Mr. and Mrs. Segalow are ready to lead Lower Moreland’s Mini-THON into an inspiring new era—one that continues to unite the school. An era that will continue to honor the past but look forward to the future of raising money for the kids.
