Battle Ground Public Schools

CAM Academy students support fourth grader whose uncle is battling cancer

Jan. 26, 2023

CAM Academy fourth grader Derek Anderson

When CAM Academy fourth grader Derek Anderson learned his beloved Uncle J. was facing an uphill battle with stomach cancer, he wanted to do something to help. On his Facebook page, J. Alan Meier told people about his diagnosis and said he had a request: make 1,000 paper cranes to gain strength and make a wish. He said the request came from the memory of a story told to him by his kindergarten teacher, based on the children’s novel “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.”

So Derek decided he would ask his teachers, Lisa Whitten and Andie Noye, if he could show his classmates how to make a paper crane. He expected to collect a few dozen to send to his uncle, who lives in Clinton, Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City. But Whitten and Noye decided to think a little bigger. With permission from CAM Principal Ryan Cowl, they decided to invite the entire school to show up one Thursday afternoon. Dozens showed up to help, including Battle Ground Public Schools Superintendent Denny Waters and Deputy Superintendent Shelly Whitten.

So far, Derek estimates he and his classmates at CAM have made over 500 paper cranes, and they keep coming in. “I did this because I really love my Uncle J, and I want him to get better,” he said. “It makes me feel happy and loved that my teachers and classmates would do this.”

“I am overwhelmed with the compassion and kindness that has been shown for Derek and his uncle, whom none of his

Superintendent Denny Waters works on paper cranes with students at CAM Academy

schoolmates know,” said Derek’s mother, Jenni Anderson. “He was hoping to be given about 10 minutes of class time. However, Mrs. [Lisa] Whitten and Mrs. Noye have huge hearts and clearly big ideas and wanted to take Derek’s request to the next level.”

According to his posts on Facebook, Meier recently finished an eighth round of chemotherapy. Next steps include CT scans, exploratory surgery, a relatively new form of “hot” chemo and, if all goes well, surgery to remove his stomach. 

“It’s incredibly humbling to have people I know as well as those I’ve never met making cranes for me and putting some hope and goodness into the world,” Meier said in an email. “It’s hard to put into words, but to think that each crane represents time taken to think about me and my family… It’s truly overwhelming. It really shows how much good is in the world.”

Meier says he hasn’t had time recently to count every single crane. His co-workers decorated his workspace with nearly 2,000 of them, and hundreds more have come in from all over the world. “I have been blown away at the response,” he said. “I figured I would reach my goal, but I never anticipated how many people would participate.”

Jenni Anderson says Derek feels calmer and more happy since coming to CAM this school year. “It’s a testament to the loving and supportive culture in his classroom and the entire CAM community.”

“Every day I have students from all grades popping by to drop off more paper cranes,” said Noye. “It’s been so wonderful to be a part of this labor of love and hope.”