Sixth-grader Eliza Peters’ dream was to raise $10,000 to help young female athletes with hearing loss. Teaming up with Sarah Spain of espnW and ESP Radio and the Chicago Hearing Society, a division of Anixter Center, Peters shattered that personal goal and will be able to help more fellow athletes than she ever thought possible.

In less than a month, Peters’ Hear the Cheers! Campaign to provide hearing aids for young female athletes raised more than $18,200 from approximately 290 donors located throughout the country.

Peters knows firsthand how important hearing is to an athlete. Thanks to her hearing aids, she can hear every cheer when playing basketball or running cross-country. But she also knows not everyone could afford hearing aids and that most insurance plans do not pay for the expenses related to hearing aids.

So she started Hear the Cheers! As word of the campaign spread, especially through social media, the donations rolled in and the total grew.

All donations will be used by Chicago Hearing Society to provide hearing aids, and related audiology services, to young female athletes around the Chicago area, including Kane County, where Peters lives.