Summer is officially here! But for the kids at Amherst Elementary, as school was winding down and summer break was getting kicked off, they were doing something good – one child at a time!
The Amherst Elementary PTA and Nuestros Niños partnered up to hold the Donate to Dunk Donation Drive. The children and staff were encouraged to collect money to help children in Guatemala. The money could be allowance money or money earned from doing a special chore at home. As we counted money, we could tell that many kids raided their piggy banks. We heard stories of the kids talking with their parents about what they were doing; donating their own money; and going to family and friends to collect spare change. We saw children donate money that may not have as much, and we saw several kids bring in $40-$50 (much of it in pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters).
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| Each class had a "heart" to fill with drops of water. Each drop signified $5 raised by their class. |
Every child had a voice on how the money would be utilized! Each child that donated at least $1 had the chance to vote if the money would be used to buy chickens, ONIL stoves, or sponsor a child’s education.
· Chickens produce eggs which provide protein for families that may otherwise only eat tortillas and salt. They can also provide an income if the families have extra eggs to sell. Each chicken costs $10.
· ONIL Stoves are fuel efficient and decrease respiratory issues & burns. It is estimated 1 in 5 children under 5 years old die, mainly from respiratory issues from having an open cooking fire in a closed in room in the home. Each stove costs $160.
· School Sponsorship is $180 per elementary age child and is an amazing gift for a child! Education is not a “right” as it is here in the US - it is a luxury item for many Guatemalans. Each year of school provides traditional learning in math, reading, etc… but more importantly it opens choices and opportunities for individuals.
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| Ms. Lee |
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| Mrs. Yarbrough |
Beyond the chance to feel good about helping others, the top 2 donors in each class got a chance to dunk Ms. Lee or Mrs. Yarbrough at an assembly on Monday, May 9th! In addition, each class that raised $35, gave the teacher an opportunity to dunk Ms. Lee or Mrs. Yarbrough!
Many teachers allowed Angela Grussing to talk with their class about the real impact they could have by just bringing in a dollar or two – and adding it to their classmates’ donations. The children asked questions, and you could see how many of the kids were grasping that they could make an impact. There was one conversation with a 4th grader that sums it up…
After talking with the class about what we were doing and how they could help, he raised his hand and said, “Are you just trying to make us feel bad?” I let him know that was definitely not the purpose, but rather to let him know how each of us can make an impact in this world – whether it be bringing in a dollar to help a family in Guatemala or doing a kind task for a neighbor. His teacher followed up with the fact that it does, “tug at our heart though.” We discussed many things, including the fact that we are very lucky to live in the United States as we have “safety nets” in our government if we fall on hard times, but other places in this world do not have these “safety nets.” Imagine my surprise the next day when we had a huge bag of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters totaling $25.76 from this 4th grader. We talked with him and found out he had gone to family and friends collecting spare change.
That is the 2nd part of the mission of Nuestros Niños… To provide both adults and children the opportunity to serve others in a meaningful way with a special emphasis on instilling a sense of service in children. How wonderful to see it fulfilled in this way!
Ms. Lee & Mrs. Yarbrough were great sports, and the kids had a great time as two assemblies were held for the kids to have a chance to dunk them! In the end, $2,058.91 was raised!!! Several times the kids were able to dunk Ms. Lee & Mrs. Yarbrough, and there was laughter and smiles all around. 28 teachers had the chance to take their best aim, and over 80 students had a chance as well!
What a great way to start the summer – with water, fun, laughter – all while helping others! In the end, the kids wound up donating:
- 75 chickens,
- 4 ONIL stoves, and
- 3 school sponsorships!
How awesome – Kids can truly make a difference!!!
(A special thanks to the volunteers that helped pull this event off! You know who you are!)
And More Pictures...
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