Academics >Student Projects> Tsunami Relief Effort

Tsunami relief effort initiated by PDS students

This article below appears in the April 2005 edition of The Compass.
Mr. B. Murani from the UNDP answers students' questions following his recent presentation to the middle school in the James Earl Jones Theater
 
 

Poughkeepsie Day School sponsored an All-school Tsunami Relief Fundraiser on April 8, 2005, which raised more than $7,800 for UNICEF. Planning for this student-initiated event began soon after the tsunami disaster in December and involved students, teachers and administrators from the school's three academic divisions who collaborated throughout the winter. The event included both an on-campus walk-a-thon for children in pre-kindergarten through 4th grade and a middle and upper school walk-a-thon on the school's road; a middle school bake sale; and a car wash, sponsored by the upper school.

Thanks to the faculty coordinators of the All-school Tsunami Relief Fundraiser: Sue Parise, lower school; George Swain, middle school; and Mike Foley, upper school. A special thanks to facilities manager Steve Mallet, business manager Andrea Parent-Tibbets and middle school teacher Tim Young and to Sgt. LeComte and the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Depart-ment's traffic division and town clerk Susan Miller.

There were so many students involved in the organization and implementation of this event at varying levels--some behind the scenes, some front and center--it is impossible to name them all. You know who you are and we thank you so much!

And, of course, we thank all of our incredibly supportive parents, grandparents and friends who made this event so very successful!

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Although it’s been more than three months since the December 2004 tsunami struck, people all over the world are still shocked and saddened by its catastrophic proportions. They are demonstrating their particular concern for those left homeless and without family and friends through an unprecedented relief effort, coordinated by the United Nations, which, to date, has raised over 800 million dollars. It is equally clear that every contribution matters, as the financial need continues to be great.

This was the message delivered by Mr. B. Murani, a member of the task force overseeing relief efforts under the auspices of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). His recent visit to PDS was an outgrowth of a middle school tsunami relief activity, initiated by students. The group of 15 seventh and eighth-graders, advised by middle school humanities teacher Tim Young, meets once a week this quarter. The purpose of the group is not only to learn more about the devastating effect created by the tsunami, which has claimed nearly 250,000 lives in Asia and Africa, but also to become actively involved in helping the survivors, particularly children. Mr. Murani, whose slide show documented the almost-total destruction to parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, served to reinforce students’ commitment to become involved in the worldwide relief effort.

To that end, the group held a bake sale before spring break at which they raised over $100 and through which they encouraged community-wide awareness of the situation. The event also was designed to promote the upcoming all-school tsunami relief activity, scheduled for Saturday, April 8. “What the middle school students are experiencing—what we call “service” learning—takes them out of the classroom and into the “real world” where they can become actively engaged in helping to solve a problem,” said George Swain, middle school head.

On the 8th, lower school students, coordinated by lower school teacher Sue Parise, will participate in an on-campus walk-a-thon while middle and upper schoolers have the option of completing a two-mile route on Boardman Road. Parents and friends will be asked to support the walkers through financial pledges. A bake sale, sponsored by the middle school, as well as a car wash, organized by the upper school, are also planned. All proceeds will be earmarked for tsunami victims and sent via the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) to UNICEF. A letter containing details about this event and a pledge form were sent home in back pa

View the Powerpoint presentation, Tsunami, prepared by sixth-grade students Preston Kemeny and Max Owen-Dunow.

Learn about students' recent holiday outreach projects.