Community School Raises $1,389 for Charity

Community School students have just ended a yearlong penny drive - “Change the World” – to benefit seven international charities. Students raised $1,389 in pennies to donate! The penny drive is the community service component to the year’s international theme. In addition to studying specific countries and continents in their social studies classes, children have learned about cultures throughout the globe. During lunch assemblies, students have shared poems, songs, and skits with their fellow students. Children were also treated to cuisines from a variety of countries and cultures.

The seven charities benefiting from the penny drive include: Heifer Project International, a humanitarian assistance organization that provides livestock to poor families in developing countries; Water Aid, an NGO whose mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene, and sanitation; Pratham, a program to have every child in school and learning well by raising awareness about the problem of illiteracy in India; Save the Children, founded in 1932, is the leading independent organization creating real and lasting changes for children in the United States and around the world; Against Malaria Foundation provides insecticide-treated nets in bulk to non-profits which then distribute them to Africa; Habitat for Humanity seeks to eliminate poverty housing from the world, and to make decent shelters a matter of conscience and action; and Mercy Centre, a group that works to improve education and health care to children in the slums of Bangkok.

After conducting research on each of these charities, sixth graders formed groups to share information about the charities and determine which to support through the penny drive.

Just before Spring Break, the sixth graders set up booths throughout the school, each representing one of these international charities. The rest of the student body rotated through the booths to hear presentations (including songs, skits and hands-on activities) about each charity. At the end of the day, each Community School student cast a vote for the charity they deemed “most deserving” of the pennies.

The following day, at the International Assembly, every class presented a song, skit, or dance to represent their assigned country or continent. The assembly’s grand finale included an announcement of the total funds raised for charity! While Water Aid was voted as the most popular charity and will receive the bulk of the donation, the remaining six charities will each receive $100 from the children of Community School.