Westside schools: Student efforts continue to help hurricane victims

       A Holmes Middle School fund-raising effort titled “Stuff the Bottle for New Orleans” recently raised $1,532 for Hurricane Katrina relief.
       The goal was to raise a dollar for each of the 700 students and 50 staffers at the school. As it turned out, “We doubled our goal,” said Jo Wilson, an eighth-grade language arts teacher whose class helped lead the project.
       As a reward for their contributions, the students got a “fun hat day.” Wilson especially credited students Rachel Philbrick, Alex Cipoletti, Edith Gonzalez, Kathryn Rediger, Caitlin McGrath and Tyler Follon.
      
       West Middle School's “Bucket Brigade” effort has raised $560 to help with Hurricane Katrina costs. The goal is to reach $1,000. The fund-raising has been led by the roughly 40 students in Student Council. One successful strategy is charging kids $1 to wear a hat they like on Fridays. Half of the proceeds go to the American Red Cross, the other half to the American Humane Society in Denver, according to teacher/Student Council advisor Heather Sanchez.
      
       The 18 members of Midland Elementary's after-school 4-H Club recently created a number of goody backpacks for children of Hurricane Katrina survivors. The packs contain such donated items as sidewalk chalk, crayons, coloring books, finger puppets, stickers and phone decals.
      
       Four Coronado High students have been selected to the Mayor's 100 Teens list: Elisha Burley, Jacob Burley, Paul Goggin and Savanah Weis.

Westside Pioneer article/press releases