AMS student projects aid quake-devastated Haiti

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February 5, 2010

By Jennifer R. Hill The News Courier Fri Feb 05, 2010, 09:45 PM CST

Students at Athens Middle School are doing their part to help rebuild Haiti. Housing for the people of Haiti is in extreme crisis with many poor living in tents and dilapidated shacks after the recent devastating earthquake. Students at AMS are currently participating in three projects to help.

Houses for Haiti

Haiti Houses is a project that was created several years ago by art teachers in Florida to aid the citizens of Haiti. The project suggests individuals and organizations get involved in helping Haiti by fundraising.

“Haiti is the poorest country in the western world. Forty percent of its inhabitants go hungry every single day, one out of every 12 children die before their 5th birthday,” The Haiti House Web site states. “Haiti is situated on the Atlantic hurricane belt and is prone to extreme weather conditions. Often, even nature conspires against the people of Haiti. All this and you can fly to Haiti from Miami in the USA in just 90 minutes. All this suffering — so close to home.”

AMS art teacher Jennifer Rosso is leading students in the effort to create “Houses for Haiti” pins and magnets for fundraisers. The pins and magnets are $5 each and all proceeds will go to a charitable organization to help the survivors of the earthquake. Charitable organizations will include Food for the Poor, American Red Cross, AmeriCares, Mercy Corps, UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, The Pan American Development Foundation and Beyond Borders.

“I’ve learned what it’s like to reach out and help those people who need it,” said eighth-grader Marie McElyea who helped make pins. “It’s a horrible experience for them but could be a learning experience for us.”

More help for Haiti

Students on the staff of the school newspaper, The Talon, lead by Pam Corder, are also raising money for Haiti with a penny drop. The first two days students raised more than $400 and are still counting, said AMS Assistant Principal Joanna May.

”Our students want to give back to the community and we want them to look outside the box and also think globally,” she said.

Talon students will take donations during each lunch shift. All money raised will be added to the Houses for Haiti donation.

The Foreign Language Club is also accepting donations of new or gently worn shoes for “Soles of Haiti.” All shoes collected will be donated to an organization in Huntsville that will ship the shoes to Haiti.

Those who wish to buy pins or magnets, donate funds for the penny drop or shoes for Haiti may call the AMS office at (256) 233-6620 or drop off donations until Feb. 14 at the school located at 601 South Clinton Street in Athens. For more information about Haiti Houses visit the Web site at www.hatihouses.org.

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