Community Corner

Whiz Kids: Homestead Students Helping Haiti With Service Project

Do you know some kids doing great things in the community? Nominate them for Whiz Kids by emailing steven.jack@patch.com

Updated May 19: A Homestead mom e-mailed us to report the students reached their $8,500 goal! Great job kids!

Today in Whiz Kid we're taking a different approach by honoring all the students at Homestead Elementary School in Aurora for their work to help those affected by last year's earthquake in Haiti.

Students recently raised about $2,000 in just four days through Jar Wars in which students and faculty gave change for the cause. Teacher Casey O'Connell said one third grader even emptied out his piggy bank with nearly $50. The school's goal is to raise $8,500.

Find out what's happening in Oswegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The following are letters written by students soliciting funds. Mail donations to: Homestead Helps Haiti, 2830 Hillsboro Blvd., Aurora, IL 60503

Our names are Haley Gullen, and I’m a fifth grader at Homestead Elementary School and my partner is Charlie Caruso, and he is a fourth-grader also at Homestead Elementary School.  As you may know, last year on January 12th , a massive 7.O earthquake struck Haiti. Compared to our lives this is very devastating. Over 500,000 Haitian children don’t go to school. Our goal is to raise $8,500.00 to build and furnish a school for them. We are working with Free the Children Foundation. We have been learning about Haiti, and made a mural of all the things we have been learning. We have been going out of our way to do things to raise money. Some of us have been doing garage sales, singing, and doing chores for small donations to raise money. We would truly appreciate your support. If you are interested in donating money send it to Homestead Elementary School.

Find out what's happening in Oswegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This is April Mizerk and Brenna Murphy, fourth grade students from Homestead Elementary School.  About 500,000 kids in Haiti don’t go to school, most of them don’t even know how to read or write.  That makes us think how lucky we are to go to school.  Haiti needs a lot of help ever since their 7.0 earthquake.  That’s why we are trying to raise money to build and furnish a school in Haiti for 8,500 dollars.   So far we have been learning a lot about Haiti.  We made a mural and we went to local businesses to put donation jars so their customers could help us reach our goal.   Also, the kids in our class and the other fifth graders are doing other things like a lemonade stand, walking dogs, and babysitting in our own time.   Obviously we need more help so we would like you to help us reach our goal and donate.  Thank you for reading and hopefully donating.

Our names are Kayla Bruecher, a fifth grader, and Josh Lenczewski, a fourth grader, and we are from Homestead Elementary School. On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. Haiti no longer has sanitary water. To us, having no clean water is just astonishing how some people in Haiti can no longer bathe or drink purified water. We need your help to raise $8,500. $8,500 will be enough to build and furnish a school for Haiti. We are doing this because we want to help Haiti with their education.  The whole fifth grade and a few fourth graders started this project a few weeks ago. In those weeks since we have made a mural to show what Haitians’ lives are like and we went to take a field trip to local businesses to put up donation jars. We’ve also been doing chores around our house and neighborhood to help raise money. We would really like it if you helped us raise $8,500.

Our names are Jake Bartlett and Nina Ferrari, fifth graders from Homestead Elementary School in Aurora, Illinois. There are many children in Haiti who want to go to school, but can’t because they either are too poor or don’t have parents or a home. Haiti needs help. Last year, as you know, Haiti had a horrible earthquake that destroyed lives and homes. Some little kids saved their friends’ lives. One child dragged their friend to a nearby soccer field and he had a broken leg! We even saw the picture to prove it!  Could you imagine saving someone’s life? That is what some kids in Haiti had to do during the disaster. After we found all of this out, it made us feel that we need to help out Haiti. So, we are here today to talk about the Free the Children program and how we are going to help. If we raise $8,500, it will be enough to build a school in Haiti.  Our class has been making murals and selling lemonade and holding garage sales at our houses. We’ve been trying so hard to raise money for Haiti. We also did a “before and after” activity in class too. We drew pictures of Haiti before the 7.0 earthquake happened and after. There was TONS of destruction! And there still is. Our class is also going on a field trip to raise money for Haiti too! We will be walking to businesses asking for donations for Haiti. Haiti needs you! If you would, please donate, that would make the Haitians very happy. (And us!) We need all of the help we could get. If you were in Haiti, you would want a donation to help you and your family and the government! So please help. Thank you for all of your support and for reading! “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” (The golden rule.) How are you going to help?


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