Millions of Americans spend their days scrolling through TikTok, but very few take the time to consider how it can be used to help others in need. This is not the case for the Del Val girls soccer team.

When Delaware Valley Regional High School’s girls soccer team heard about the Wawa and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association challenge, they spent their whole ride back from their game against Manville looking for a Wawa.

The contest rules were simple: film the team’s Wawa run and then post it on TikTok. The winning team would get $2,000 for its school and an additional $500 for the student who filmed and uploaded the video.

On Sept. 18, the Del Val girls soccer team filmed their video on the same day that they played at Manville High School, which had recently been impacted by Tropical Storm Ida. Ida was only classified as a tropical storm when it first hit Manville, but the destruction it caused was extensive.

Manville was among one of the towns hardest hit by Tropical Storm Ida in all of New Jersey; many families lost everything, and four of those impacted families were a part of the Manville’s girls soccer team.

“When on our way to Manville, it was shortly after the flood from Hurricane Ida, and we saw the trash on the sides of the road,” said senior forward Grace Johnson. 

After witnessing the devastation wreaked by the storm in that town, and after hearing from the Manville coaches that many girls on the team were left with almost nothing, the Del Val team unanimously decided to donate their contest winnings if they happened to win.

Johnson soon received a direct message from Wawa on Instagram notifying her that the team’s video had won the contest. The team all agreed that they would share the news with Manville after their second game against one another concluded on Oct. 18.

Del Val’s girls soccer coach, David Kirschenmann, was extremely proud of his team.

“I was very excited for them that they won.  Also, knowing that we were helping Manville, I was very proud of them. I have always known what great kids we have here at DV,” said Coach Kirschenmann.

Manville’s players were unable to contain their joy after learning about the donation.

“Several of their players immediately went over and hugged the affected girls,” said Coach Kirschenmann.

Del Val’s Superintendent, Daria Wasserbach, who was not aware that the team was entering the contest, was absolutely thrilled to find out the news. She became overwhelmed with pride after finding out what the team was planning to do with the $2,000. 

“The fact that they chose to help others in need demonstrates their selflessness, compassion, and kindness,” said Superintendent Wasserbach.

Wasserbach wasn’t the only administrator who felt pride in the team’s generosity that day. Del Val’s Director of Athletics, Bill Deniz, notified previous Del Val Vice Principal, Adam Wright, who is now the current principal of Manville, to explain what the team was planning on doing at the game.

“Throughout my 8-years at DVRHS, I always knew what a supportive and generous student body was there,” said Principal Wright.

He also expressed how grateful and appreciative he is for his school’s community to have received the donation.

“It is so touching for our students and families to know that there are so many people out there who are willing to help them in their time of need,” said Wright.

While the team has been widely praised by the public, Johnson, who filmed the video, made sure to give credit to Coach Kirschenmann.

“Without him, we would have never been able to do this,” said Johnson.

This story was originally published on The Delphi on October 27, 2021.