Come on down

By Roger Gavan
WARWICK — The students at St. Stephen-St. Edward Elementary School had a short break from class on Monday morning, Oct. 1.
But it was also an opportunity to applaud and cheer for their principal, Bethany Negersmith, who has been fighting breast cancer.
All students through Grade 8, joined by St. Stephen's pastor, the Rev. Jack Arlotta, Parochial Vicar the Rev. Reynor Santiago, teachers, staff, members of the Home School Association and other guests, packed the school gymnasium to watch her appearance as a contestant on the popular CBS-TV game show, The Price is Right. And they had been told there would be a big surprise during the broadcast.
Negersmith, a native of California, who now lives in Chester with her husband Mark and their two young daughters Abigail and Olivia, has served as principal of St. Stephen-St. Edward School since 2013.
Last November, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. Since then she has been undergoing a strenuous regimen of chemotherapy and radiation.
Negersmith frequently turned down offers by Arlotta, a former high school teacher with all necessary principal qualifications, to take some time off while he substituted. With lots of community support and encouragement, she continued performing her duties as usual.
'Come on down'This past summer Negersmith learned that the longest running TV game show, The Price is Right, was taping a special breast cancer awareness show on Aug. 5.
"I just sent away for tickets," she said.
The tickets arrived and Negersmith flew to Los Angeles to join her mother, Patty Teachout, and sister Amy Teachout, for the show.
"I didn't know if I would be a contestant on the show until they called me up from the audience," said Negersmith. "However, a large group of us were interviewed that morning and the producers had already decided who would be selected before the taping."
After hearing her name called and the famous line, "Come on down," Negersmith had to compete against other contestants by correctly answering a series of questions about the price of various items. Her performance was flawless and she had even won $1,000 before host Drew Carey asked her to pick the box containing the grand prize money.
'A very special day for me'Negersmith selected number seven, considered a lucky number, and it was. It contained $10,000 in cash.
Program rules require that result to be kept secret until the show, scheduled for Oct. 1, had finally aired. And on that day, when everyone learned the well kept secret, there were plenty of cheers and lots of applause in the St. Stephen's school gymnasium.
"This is a very special day for me," said Negersmith who reported that she was on the mend and her final radiation treatment was scheduled for Oct. 15.
Immediately after the event, the students were invited to play their own version of The Price is Right and also win prizes.
Home School Association officers Pam Rogers, Maura Berger, Casey Yazdan and Gerry Trapp had assembled elaborate props and prepared questions based on the format of the TV show.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the staff and students at St. Stephen-St. Edward School are planning other activities including fund raisers and a "Pink Day."