Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010

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Students across the district, like these at Edythe J. Hayes Middle School, have generously responded to the needs in Haiti.

Students, teachers and employees across Fayette County Public Schools have opened their hearts and reached out to help with the relief efforts in Haiti, which suffered devastating losses in the recent earthquake.

Here’s a sampling of the generosity and creativity with which FCPS has responded:

Ashland Elementary – Laura Watson’s fifth-graders collected $1,153 from fellow students and staff one week during breakfast.

Athens-Chilesburg Elementary – Kids brought in money to help the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission buy medical supplies, food and water -- collecting about $3,200 in the "Heart for Haiti" drive. One student donated $50 she received for Christmas, and her parents matched every dollar. And a pair of fifth-graders raised nearly $50 by selling roses made of Hershey Hugs.

Booker T. Washington - Students collected jars of peanut butter and canned goods to support the relief effort.

Dixie – Students raised $1,634 in their “Dixie kids helping Haiti kids" coin drive. The money went to the American Red Cross.

Garden Springs - Kindergarteners and third-graders declared a penny war and raised a total of $570.48, which will be used to purchase rice and beans. Students also collected flip-flops for survivors.

Glendover – Students sent $753.35 to the American Red Cross.

Harrison – Kids are holding a penny drive for the Red Cross.

Lansdowne - Two after-school clubs, the K-Kids and Student Council, colloborated and raised about $1,100 to send to World Vision.

Liberty – Fourth-graders tallied more than $160 in coins in the "Help for Haiti" drive.

Maxwell - The "One Hand at a Time" campaign, which filled dozens of containers with coins, raised $1,671.94. 

Millcreek - Students and teachers voted for their favorite schoolwide incentive including Pajama Day, Afternoon Lock-in and Movie Afternoon, and wound up donating more than $1,100 to World Vision.

Rosa Parks - Students and staff raised $10,444 for the American Red Cross. The impact will be even greater since local businesses are matching some donations! School incentives included fun events like "Hat Day" and "Wacky Day."

Sandersville - Students raised more than $4,500, wrote messages and drew pictures for the families in Haiti. Read how the school's joint project came together.

Stonewall – This school’s donation drive was called “Change for a change in Haiti.” The kids competed to see who could bring in the most: The boys gathered $1,832.70 and the girls collected $1,669.30.

Veterans Park -- The “Patriots for Haiti” drive netted $1,745 for the American Red Cross.

Yates – The Peanut Butter Drive collected about 400 jars, which a missionary group from Southland Christian Church will distribute in Haiti.

Edythe J. Hayes Middle School – Their campaign, which was called “Hayes’ Helping Haiti: Students Give Back,” raised more than $2,000. “Students gave what they could. If they had an extra quarter or dime, they gave that, but many gave more. Students would dig into their pockets looking for any spare change they had available. It was great!” said Madison Gilbert, president of the Junior Beta Club, which led the effort.

Jessie M. Clark Middle School - Everyone embraced the "Hearts for Haiti" day around Valentine's weekend. Students were given permission slips to take home to their parents to allow them to use their cell phone for a few minutes during the last period of the day. They then sent a text message to a number that automatically donated $10 to the American Red Cross. Along with the $1,388 in other donations, a total of $3,388 went to the cause.

Lexington Traditional Magnet School – LTMS plans to give the Red Cross all revenues from a school dance (ticket sales, donations and concessions).

Morton – Students donated $1 each for the privilege on “Wear a Hat Day,” and classes competed to see who could first fill a milk jug with cash. Morton tallied more than $2,500 for the American Red Cross. 

SCAPA Bluegrass - The school sent the American Red Cross a check for $1,752.01 after a "Pennies for Haiti" drive.

Tates Creek Middle School – Student-led efforts totalled $2,239. Through an affiliation with Haitian Network of the Bluegrass, Tates Creek Middle will send the funds where they are most needed and begin efforts to adopt a school in Haiti. The Beta Club later raised $330 and bought outdoor toys for the Haitian Network to deliver in June.

Winburn – Seventh-graders are spearheading a coin collection drive with a jar in the cafeteria for students to donate spare change and cash. Winburn also had a “Dress Down Day,” where students paid $1 and teachers and staff donated $5 each.

Henry Clay High School – Staff members of the Devils’ Advocate, the school newspaper, organized a bake sale and raised more than $300. Students, parents and Magee’s Bakery provided a variety of baked goods for the two-day sale. The proceeds, which also included donations from students, went to the American Red Cross.

Lafayette High School - Students raised $1,853.29 through various avenues including "I Heart Haiti" T-shirt sales, scarf sales, cash collections during lunch, donations gathered at a basketball game, an open house for eighth-graders, a Key Club bake sale, the "Hats for Haiti" day and classroom competitions.

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School – The Dunbar Swing Dance Club, in collaboration with the Student Technology Leadership Program, is sponsoring an online contest to raise money with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross. Faculty and staff are asked to supply pictures (one current and one at least 20 years old) for posting on a page linked to the school’s Web site. Contestants pay $1 apiece for a chance to match up the pictures.

Southside Technical Center - Two student organizations -- SkillsUSA and HOSA -- partnered with Southland Christian Church and Food for the Hungry, collecting school supplies and hygiene items for “child friendly spaces’” that will be set up in Port-au-Prince. Tents, mats and bedding were also donated for refugee camps in the northwest region. An additional $200 was collected through hot chocolate sales and proceeds from food items prepared by Culinary Arts students.

“It’s About Kids” Support Services – The district’s Department of Physical Support Services and Department of Media Services collected 340 jars of peanut butter in just three days.

Haiti relief

Schools are invited to send updates and additional details to Tammy Lane at “It’s About Kids” Support Services, with "Haiti relief" in the subject line. Photos must be originals sent as JPEG attachments.