Students and faculty in the Valhala School District wore pink Friday to boost breast cancer awareness and to support a teacher celebrating four years of being cancer free.

When Koula Paloungos, a Virginia Road Elementary School teacher for 25 years, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2015, it turned her world upside down.

"In the beginning, I was very angry, and I kept on saying, ‘Oh why me? What have I done?’ and those feelings kind of washed away,” says Paloungos.

She credited her coworkers and students who rallied around her in her time of need.

"They all came and supported me and my son,” she says. “They sort of like took us under their wings and were there for us. I'm just honored to be here and blessed and thankful to all of them.”

The “Real Vikings Wear Pink” movement spread through the entire district.