Some kids sold candy and pencils, while others paid to wear hats to school. One kindergartner brought in their piggy bank and another shy student stood before assemblies to push for action.
But they all shared a common goal: Help those still struggling to pick up the pieces after an earthquake devastated Haiti almost two weeks ago.
Students and educators from area school districts gathered Monday at the American Red Cross of the Mohawk Valley to share their fund raising stories from the past week, having collected a combined nearly $4,000 for the Red Cross and Save the Children relief efforts.
Lisa Rice, a first grade teacher at Benton Hall Academy in Little Falls, said she told her kids about the earthquake and showed them photos of children in Haiti.
The students response: “We have to help them,” Rice said, recalling their comments, “you could see the compassion.” Her class raised $153.
And Benton Hall as a whole raised $1,260, said Joe Long, city school district assistant administrator. There were students bringing in jars full of change and dollar bills, saying they wanted the kids in Haiti to have the money, he added.
A lot of the effort in Little Falls school district sprang from a single student that motivated her peers. Ciera Fleming, a junior in the high school, appealed to fellow students during assemblies at each building. She was very much responsible for the success, Long said.
The middle and high schools are continuing their fund raising efforts, officials said.
Ilion school district students posted flyers and called on their school communities to get involved, too. “We’d all go out and ask anybody to donate a dollar,” said Kymber Bruner, a student leader at the high school. Sometimes “we would sit outside [the school] with a basket,” asking for donations from staff and students for Haiti, she added.
Barringer Road Elementary and the high school raised a combined over $1,400. And Remington Road Elementary is wrapping up its fund raising on Friday, district officials said.
Colleen Bunce, of Fisher Elementary School in Mohawk school district, incorporated the tragic earthquake into lesson plans on Teutonic plates and fault lines, striving to allow sixth graders to gain an understanding of what happened.
Lessons showed exactly how the fault line through the Caribbean island moved during the earthquake. Once the students learned about their ability to raise funds to help, “they were all for it,” Bunce said. The school held a “hats off for Haiti” day that allowed kids to make donations to wear hats to school. The first day raised $353 and, after adding a second day, the drive raised $543.
Reese Road Elementary School, in Frankfort-Schuyler school district, asked their student leaders how they wanted to raise funds. Jennifer DeSarro said they made a sweet choice. “Sell candy, of course,” she said.
The kids during lunch sold students and staff their candy and pencils, which were donated by the Parent Teacher Organization. When asked how much they raised, both Vinni Palmisano, 9, and Maci Migliore, 10, didn’t hesitate in giving the figure. “$218,” they said in unison.
Kathy Priolo, of Herkimer Elementary School, who worked in an orphanage in Haiti in the 1970s, was almost overcome by emotion when hearing of the efforts of area young people.
Having organized a “dress down day” last week for HES faculty, which raised $375, she had pressed her co-workers to “get the kids involved.” The school is in the process of starting a “Hope for Haiti” bracelet sale, asking kids to buy the rubber bracelets for a $1 donation or more, she said.
The spirit of young people helping one another reminded Priolo of her time in Haiti and the demeanor of the resilient people. “They were so happy all the time,” she said, “no matter how little they have.”
Herkimer, N.Y. —
