Students help Katrina victims
Published: September 14, 2005
When Horizon High School English teacher Anna Royse talked about civic responsibility in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, her students immediately put to practice what she preached.
By the end of the period, the class had turned an empty vase into a collection jar full of hundreds of dollars in cash donations. That vase has since been passed around Ms. Royse’s other classes.
“We spent some time in class to talk about (Hurricane Katrina) and the students wanted to get involved,” Ms. Royse said.
While waiting for student council to mobilize fundraising efforts, her students initiated their own collection drive.
As of Sept. 7, Ms. Royse’s students have donated $370 of their own money, which will be added to the funds raised by the school’s student government and parent teacher organization.
“I probably would have spent the money on something stupid n they need the money more than I do,” freshman Noland Pieta said. “If I miss lunch, that’s just one meal. Some of those people have not eaten in days.”
Jason Nevins, who has relatives displaced by Hurricane Katrina, said giving up his lunch money is nothing compared to what some of his family members are going through.
“(My relatives) are all OK but they lost so much,” he said. “I really feel for them.”
Katrina left an unprecedented number of individuals homeless and unemployed; and displaced thousands of students only a few weeks into the academic year.
“It’s really sad n you see kids getting separated from their families,” said Elena Caputo. “It also makes us realize how lucky we are to have what we have.”
Classmate Connor Hopkins, who admits to sometimes complaining about going to school added: “so many kids would rather be in school than where they are now. I should be thankful for what I have.”
Like those in Ms. Royse’s classes, students throughout the Paradise Valley Unified School District are pitching in to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
At North Canyon High School, teachers, students and administrators raised $3,500 during the “miracle minute” organized by the school’s student government.
“Teachers took time to talk about (Hurricane Katrina) with their students,” student government advisor Laura Mayhew said. “The students were really affected by what they’ve heard and seen so far, they all want to volunteer and help however they can.”
At the school district’s elementary schools, parents are taking over the reigns of fundraising efforts.
At Desert Trails Elementary School, the parent teacher organization is donating a portion of the profits from the sale of school shirts and other “spirit” wear. The school is also collecting cash donations to be forwarded to the Red Cross.
“The support has been overwhelming,” teacher Kim Cox said. “We have a donation box that’s always overflowing.”
At Desert Springs Elementary School, students are encouraged to donate at least $1 each. The school’s sixth-graders also washed cars over the Labor Day weekend, from which they raised $1,300.
As of Sept. 7, the school’s PTO collected a total of $3,800, to be donated to the Red Cross.
Other PVUSD schools holding change or cash drives are: Vista Verde Middle School; Grayhawk, Boulder Creek, Sunset Canyon, Sonoran Sky and Hidden Hills elementary schools.
“Students and parents are really stepping up,” Horizon’s Ms. Royse said. “I’m sick of reading terrible things about teenagers, I see the best in them everyday and their response to this (crisis) has been amazing.”
Students in the Scottsdale Unified School District also have pitched in to help hurricane victims.
Desert Mountain High School’s Service Learning members collected more than $8,000 in two days to win a bet with their principal. As a result, Greg Milbrandt had to eat 12 hot wings in six minutes without ranch dressing or water to cool off his taste buds.
Service Learning club members at Chaparral High School began by collecting money to benefit the Salvation Army from fans during the school’s football games. Club members at Saguaro high are gathering clothes and personal hygiene products to construct care packages as well as making new blankets. The Saguaro branch is offering a prize to the homeroom that brings in the most supplies.
Parent-teacher organizations at both Copper Ridge and Cheyenne elementary schools have fund raisers planned, while the Laguna Elementary School Girl Scout and Cub Scout troops are collecting basic needs items.
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