Chicago Ag High School Helps Emily Beazley's Dream for a Cure Come True

Photo: The foal Emily Strong, named for the late Emily Beazley’s by her younger sister, Olivia, has already been registered with the Illinois Harness Horses Association.

Chicago High School for the Agricultural Sciences has picked up the fallen torch from Emily Beazley by raising a foal to be sold at auction that will go toward Emily Beazley’s Demand for a Cure.

The foal was born May 5 to Basic Brown, one of two standardbred mares donated to the high school’s horse club and for therapeutic riding lessons. Proceeds from the sale of the foal at auction, will go the new chapter of the Cure It Foundation named for the 12-year-old Emily Beazley whose valiant fight with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma captured international attention.

Before Emily passed away on May 18, she drew up plans for a foundation she named Kures for Kids, and even created a logo. She planned on starting it after becoming a pediatric oncology nurse.

“The foal was born right around the time we were working with the community with Emily in her battle,” school principal Bill Hook said. “Our kids were really involved.”

After deciding to donate proceeds from the sale of Basic Brown’s foal to Emily Beazley’s Kures for Kids, the high school reached out to Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) to see if the family would be interested in naming the foal.

Emily’s younger sister, Olivia, immediately named the foal Emily Strong. The female foal, that will eventually grow into a filly, has already been registered with the Illinois Harness Horses Association.

“We’ve been breeding horses for six years and have had a foal born every year,” Hook said.

The foals are birthed in the high school’s barn at 3857 W. 111th St., in Chicago. The standardbreds are sold as yearlings within a year or two of birth.

“We’ve sold in the past at annual auction at the Illinois State Fair and at Balmoral Park’s super night,” Hook said. “We’ve also had a number of Kentucky and Tennessee Walkers.”

Hook thinks Emily Strong could be sold at auction for as high as $5,000. Past Chicago Ag foals have fetched upwards to $3,400.

The high school is also lending its campus to Emily Beazley’s Kure for Kids Family Fair that will be held Sunday, September 20. The fair will start at 11 a.m. with a memorial service for Emily and runs until 6 p.m. All proceeds raised from the fair will be donated to pediatric cancer research.

Immediately following is a fun filled day of activities for families, including crafters, children’s carnival games, live music, face painting, hula hoop contest, bean bag tournaments, split the pot and gift basket raffles, face painting, petting zoo, and more. Emily Beazley’s Kures for Kids t-shirts will also be sold.

Chicago High School for the Agricultural Sciences is located at 3857 W. 111th St., Chicago.

Follow and like Emily Beazley’s Kures for Kids on Facebook.