A group of middle-schoolers in Nebraska is working hard to raise awareness of, and money for, the tragedy in Haiti.
Maddie McQuillan, an eight-grader, is the President of the Student Council at the Ogallala Middle School and Austin Davidson, also an eight-grader, is the Vice President. McQuillan says the Student Council saw the tragedy unfold in the island nation and wanted to do something to help.
Last week, the students held a “free throw contest” in which students would pay twenty-five cents for each free throw on the basketball court, and would get a can of soda for each one they made. With that fundraiser, the group raised over $250. Another fundraiser included setting up jars at the middle school office with the picture of various teachers and administrators on each one. The kids encouraged the community and the fellow students to fill the jars with donations. The top three earners will then subject themselves to getting pies thrown in their face in front of the entire school.
The third fundraiser will take place in the first week of February. Each homeroom will compete with the others to see who can raise the most money in change.
An English teacher at the middle school, Dixie DeTuerk, said she would match the donations dollar for dollar up to $500.
Once all the money is collected, it will be given to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Disaster Relief Fund to help the victims of the earthquake that devastated the island in the early evening hours of January 12th.
(Thanks KOGA, Ogallala)