Seven years ago, Cynthia Edelman began asking the 75 students in her French in Acton school to make donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in lieu of holiday gifts for her and the other two teachers. Their most recent collection effort ended Dec. 31 and raised $2,000, for a grand total exceeding $12,000 since 2006.

Pictured with Cynthia Edelman (right), director of French in Acton, and Theresa Waite (left), director of special events of the Massachusetts/Rhode Island chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, are French in Acton students (left to right) Jake Henry, Sarah Forrester, Gabriella Luciani, Keira Smith, and Nathalie Canetta

Edelman, who lives in Acton, selected the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation because her nephew and niece, 23-year-old Paul and 16-year-old Olivia Brendel of Pittsburgh, have the disease. While her relatives are among those who benefit from the drug Kalydeco, which is made by Cambridge-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals and was approved one year ago by the Food and Drug Administration to treat a certain gene mutation — Edelman’'s goal is continued contribution to research and development of a cure for everyone living with cystic fibrosis.

"We're raising money, as a group, to add to these children's life expectancies and quality of life, she said.