Country School Students Raise Funds for Earthquake Victims

 Community service is embedded in the ethos of The Country School where the number one rule to “Be Kind.” Most recently, this rule was apparent when altruistic 5th and 6th Graders took their science lessons beyond the walls of the classroom. Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria struck as the students were in the midst of science teacher Stephanie Johnson’s STEAM unit about climate science, natural disasters, and architectural adaptation. Moved, the students were motivated to help the young disaster victims across the globe. In partnership with English teacher Kristin Liu, the students decided to raise money for UNICEF, an organization committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children. 

Capitalizing on the school’s dress code as well as the sweet tooth of their peers, the group organized a dress-down day on the Friday before vacation and held a bake sale at the annual faculty-student basketball game. This group of students made announcements at their class and all-school meetings and submitted an article to the school’s weekly newsletter. At the multicultural dinner Taste of the World, they made a presentation about their efforts and goal and asked the guests for donations. Impressed, one family in attendance made an anonymous pledge of $500 in matching funds if the students could raise that amount. And raise it they did!

This group of 5th and 6th Grade students led an incredibly successful fundraiser that raised $1,651 for UNICEF’s Earthquake Relief Fund. Once again, The Country School’s Mission to “nurture every student’s unique role in the community, empowering each to serve the common good” was brought to life through generosity and compassion.