What is Kidz in Lids?

Kidz in Lids

Kidz in Lids mobilizes students to show concern for their friends and classmates who are in a life-or-death struggle with cancer. It's so simple! Caring kids bring a dollar to school and get to wear their favorite hats throughout the school day.

By participating in Kidz in Lids, you'll help local children from your school's district get to their cancer treatments. Your support ensures that mileage, gas, transportation, food, and lodging are covered while they are being treated far from home.

We hope we can count on you to sign up to host Kidz in Lids during this school year!

How can my School take part?

Getting started is simple and takes just a minute! Click here to fill out just a little bit of information, and we'll get you all the resources you need for a successful Kidz in Lids Day! Just imagine what an impact YOUR school could make if even half of your students donated!

How Easy is it to Sign up?

TODAY Show's Craig Melvin is a proud supporter of Kidz in Lids and Children's Cancer Partners! Listen here to learn how easy it is to participate and how YOU can make a difference by signing up today!

Our Highest Achieving Schools - As of 6/17/2024

1 St. Martin De Porres Catholic School Columbia, SC $44.63 82
2 Spartanburg County Early College High School Spartanburg, SC $21.32 87
3 Abner Creek Academy Duncan, SC $15.44 678
4 St. Andrew Catholic School Myrtle Beach, SC $15.13 196
5 Summerville Catholic Summerville, SC $10.18 197
6 Ridgecroft School Ahoskie, NC $9.27 323
7 St. Joseph Catholic School Columbia, SC $5.40 292
8 St. Anthony Catholic School Florence, SC $4.82 83
9 Oakbrook Prepatory School Spartanburg, SC $4.22 462
10 York Intermediate School York, SC $3.48 639

*Schools are ranked by dollars raised per capita and is calculated by the (total number of dollars raised) divided by (total number of students). This allows small schools to compete with big schools!

Frequently Asked Questions

The Kidz in Lids program can take place on any school day that is convenient for your school! The event can be carried out on a single day, for a specific week or month, or extended to one day a week for over several weeks.

Many schools give a 'Jeans Day' and allow staff to wear their jeans all day if they bring in and contribute $5.

We invite all Carolina schools to join in this fun and meaningful program! To request more information about how we can customize this program for your school, please email:

Sharon Worthington at [email protected].

Ready to register your school? Click here! All materials you need to make your event a success are located here. Have other ideas to spread awareness? Let us know!

We will send you some helpful tools to ensure the success of your event – or you can download many of them by clicking here.

By clicking here, you will find downloadable tools for your use. If there is something else that you feel would be helpful but you don’t see it here, please contact Sharon Worthington at [email protected].

Kidz in Lids Bracelets

We have all kinds of creative ideas if wearing hats isn't allowed at your school. We have silicone bracelets available that you can sell (we recommend $1 a piece, but you set the cost!). Other schools have come up with pajama day, sticking the principal to the wall with tape ($1 a strip), selling donuts, and more! We'd also be happy to brainstorm a new idea with you. 

If you do want to sell bracelets, please let us know so we can give you the desired amount and/or order them ahead of time in order to have enough for all of your students!

Hear from Student Leaders

How did Kidz in Lids get started?

Paige, an energetic 5th grader got this all started by walking into her principal’s office at a Carolina middle school. She had some friends battling cancer and wanted to do something for the annual September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Paige and her principal hatched this idea together and promoted it school-wide. One of the parents offered to match the first $200, and when the first Kidz in Lids Day was over, Paige and her school had raised over $1,000!

A childhood cancer diagnosis is crushing for families. One parent leaves work to be a caregiver, but the bills still come. Pediatric cancer centers are few and far between, so traveling for treatment, sometimes daily for months, is costly. Some treatments are only available in New York, Philadelphia, Houston or beyond. Children's Cancer Partners provides these families with the funds needed for transportation, lodging, and meals associated with these vital treatments. You can join in our important work by registering your school for our Kidz in Lids program now!

Why did you want to take part in Kidz in Lids?

"I choose to raise money for Children's Cancer Partners because I have realized how grateful I should be for all I have. I just want to give back as much as I can to deserving kids in the community who are fighting cancer."

Julia Graham, Student at Spartanburg High School

“Not only did NRCA’s Kidz in Lids day bring awareness and support to childhood cancer, but it also allowed our school to put a face and testimony with this special day with Anna Caroline and Katie Jordan. Hosting a Kidz in Lids day at NRCA will be one of the highlights of the school year.”

Dr. Kevin Mathes, North Raleigh Christian Academy