News: Loudoun County Public Schools Students Rally for Haiti

Loudoun County's school community has been raising funds and awareness in the wake of the January 12th earthquake in Haiti.


Here are some of the fund-raising efforts going on throughout Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS):



Heritage High School
Heritage High School's student body immediately rallied together to help those in need. Red, white, and blue wristbands, the color of the Haitian flag, saying “Heritage Helps Haiti” were ordered and delivered on January 15th.


The students raised almost $1,000 by the end of lunch that day. The “Heritage Helps Haiti” fund-raiser continues with all proceeds going to Mercy Corps (a charity sponsored by the State Department).


Freedom High School
The students, faculty and staff at Freedom High School and the Freedom community are joining forces in support of “Give-It-Up for Haiti,” the first phase of the Freedom Gives campaign for Haiti relief.


This fund-raiser will kick off the first week of February with Pledge Day; a day when the Freedom family will make a commitment to give up a daily/weekly purchase and donate that money for Haiti relief. The focus on Haiti will continue during Winter Spirit Week, February 8 – 12, which will include class competition fund-raisers beginning Monday with “Pennies for Haiti,” continuing on through the week with nickels, dimes and quarters. This will culminate on Friday with “Dollars for Haiti.”


The Freedom Gives organization is planning future fund-raisers for Haiti to include a Walk-a-thon and a Beans and Rice Dinner.


Monroe Technology Center
Monroe Technology Center (MTC) sold strips of duct tape to tape the security specialist, David Schinasi, and principal, Wagner Grier, to the wall. The veterinary science program is selling ribbons. Practical nursing students will take blood pressure for a donation. Horticulture students willtake orders for carnations on January 25th and 26th. The Culinary Arts Department has a donate-your-loose-change container.


Mercer Middle School
Mercer Middle School had a “Hats for Haiti Day.” Students paid $1 to be permitted to wear a hat in school for the day. The event raised $954.81. All proceeds go to the Red Cross.


Stone Hill Middle School
Students are taking part in “Hands and Hearts for Haiti” through the Student Activities Council (SAC). Paper hands and hearts will be sold during lunches for $1 each. Students will be able to buy as many as they like. All proceeds will go to Haitian relief.The projected goal for this effort is at least $500.


Blue Ridge Middle School
Blue Ridge Middle School is staging the "Hearts for Haiti" project through the Leo Club. The club is collecting a donation of $1 for each paper heart sold.


Farmwell Station Middle School
The Farmwell Station Middle School LEO Club is raising money and giving it to Haiti relief efforts through the local Lions Club.


Arcola Elementary
Haitian relief was a focal point of “Arcola Gives Back Night” on January 22nd. This is an annual giving event to support local charities. This year some of the money will go to Haitian relief.


Dominion Trail Elementary
Dominion Trail is having an SCA fund-raiser, "Huskies Helping Haiti." It will run from Thursday, January 28th, through Friday, February 12th, or possibly longer depending upon participation. Funds will be donated to the Red Cross.



Frances Hazel Reid Elementary
Frances Hazel Reid's “Hearts for Haiti” campaign will sell pencils with hearts for $1 to help the Red Cross raise money for food, water and medical supplies. Students may purchase these pencils upon bus arrivals in the morning in front of the school office. This will begin as soon as the pencils arrive and will continue until pencils are sold out. The pencils will be donated by the school so 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross.


Liberty Elementary School
Liberty Elementary's Equity/Leadership Team would like to hold “Jump Rope for Haiti” to raise funds. Additionally, they want to encourage students to donate gently used or new books that we could send to the children of Haiti.



Change Drives
Several schools are holding change drives. (Most of them have designated the Red Cross as the recipient of this money.) These schools include:
· Ball's Bluff Elementary
· Countryside Elementary
· Culbert Elementary
· Eagle Ridge Middle School
· Harmony Intermediate (Harmony's money will go to Doctors Without Borders.)
· Harper Park Middle School (Harper Park's money will go to Doctors Without Borders.)
· Lowes Island Elementary
· Mill Run Elementary
· Frances Hazel Reid Elementary
· Rolling Ridge Elementary

· Sanders Corner Elementary

· Smart's Mill Middle School (Smart's Mill's money will go to Pennies for Patients.)


Jeans Days
Several schools are holding “Jeans Days” where teachers pay to wear jeans to school with all the money going to Haitian relief. These schools include:
· Countryside Elementary
· Dominion Trail Elementary
· Potowmack Elementary
· Sanders Corner Elementary



Collective Efforts
High schools such as Broad Run, Loudoun County and Loudoun Valley are organizing their service organizations for a collective effort. Douglass School will stage a fund-raiser during the second semester.