A cousin of Wiscasset Middle School eighth-grader Lily Wagg was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 5.

“Luckily, he survived, but it was really hard for my family for a while,” said Wagg, 14.

So when she and other students in the school’s 14th annual variety show got to vote for the groups that would benefit from the admissions and concessions sales, one of her picks was the American Cancer Society.

And because she loves animals, she also voted for the Lincoln County Animal Shelter in Edgecomb.

So did fifth grader Joanna Collins, 11. Her family has adopted pets from there.

The shelter’s office manager, Carrie Koskela, told Wagg, Collins and other students on May 12, the $307.50 donation will buy treats and toys for the animals up for adoption. “So, they’ll have lots of things to do while they wait for a good home,” Koskela said in thanking the students.

Students also presented Brian Casalinova with a large mockup of the $307.50 check he was picking up for the American Cancer Society. At the students’ request, the donation will be earmarked for children’s cancer programs, Casalinova said.

“Thank you so much for your hard work,” he said at Monday’s hand-off. “We really appreciate it.”

Together, the two organizations received two-thirds of the money this year’s show raised. The remaining $307.50 is going into a fund the school has for students or staff members in need, WMS Administrative Assistant Cindy Collamore said.

Collamore sees a lot of meaning in the variety show. For some students, it’s their first time performing publicly and an act of courage to work through their shyness for the good causes the show benefits.

Sometimes, as she watches from backstage, students’ performances move her to tears.

“I’m so proud of them,” Collamore said.

She co-directed this year’s show with the school’s band director Roger Whitney, choral director Carole Drury and physical education teacher Linda Hanson. WMS students in the skill-building program, Jobs for Maine’s Graduates, manned the concessions.