Phillippi Shores Elementary Students Collect Funds for Haitian Hurricane Relief

From Sarasota County Schools:

SARASOTA, FL – Phillippi Shores Elementary School first-grader Madeline Perrotta wanted to do something to help the victims of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. She told her teachers — Kerri Kreger, Casey Esper and Mary Rose Kelley — who all agreed to let Perrotta present the idea to their students. After showing the children some photos of the storm damage and how it is affecting Haitians, her classmates said they would like to help.

The students spread the word about their project by making posters, decorating tissue packages as donation boxes and appearing on the school’s closed-circuit television news. Soon the whole school was participating; the students reached their goal of $726 in only five school days, then exceeded the goal by almost $400 — reaching a total of $1,100. One student brought in a $100 bill from his grandfather. The money students raised will provide thousands of meals for Haitians.

“I’m so proud of Maddie and all our students,” said Kreger. “I got to watch a student inspire a class, which then inspired a whole school to help make a change in the world.”

The class donated the money to Agape Flights, which delivers supplies, mail and humanitarian aid to Caribbean nations.

Phillippi Shores Elementary School is located at 4747 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota.

Photo 1: Phillippi Shores Elementary student Aliyah Schmitz, at left, collects a donation from Caleb Barker for hurricane relief in Haiti.

Photo 2: Phillippi Shores first-grader Madeline Perrotta celebrates exceeding the goal of the school-wide fundraiser she inspired to help Haitian victims of Hurricane Matthew.

Images via Sarasota County Schools.