| Students, teachers rally for Haiti |
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| Written by Monica Miles |
| Thursday, 04 February 2010 17:17 |
The “Harrison for Haiti” initiative was formed by a group of students and teachers at Harrison High School to collect donations from the community to aid the victims devastated by the earthquake in Haiti. Nearly 3 million people, or a third of Haiti’s population, have been directly affected by this natural disaster. Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam America were the charities selected by the student government and the Harrison for Haiti committee to receive the donations. The drive began as a small initiative where students were encouraged to donate their spare change in drop boxes in the cafeteria during their lunch periods. Students, faculty and staff dressed in red as a symbol of their support, help and hope for the victims of Haiti. In the first week, high school students collected $2,000. Students not only enlisted their families to donate but encouraged their younger fellow students as well. Louis M. Klein Middle School students are selling raffle tickets and the four elementary schools are collecting spare change and recyclables as well as holding bake sales. Surgeons are actually operating in two school buildings after the Port-au-Prince hospital was rendered unsafe as a result of numerous aftershocks that have hit the island nation. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999. Doctors and medical supplies are a much-needed commodity in Haiti given the vast number of injuries that have occurred as a result of the earthquake. Victims had many broken bones and open sores that went untreated. In the first week of the tragedy, doctors in the area were being forced to perform amputations on nearly 70 people a day. The organization has built an inflatable hospital with two operating theaters and 100-bed capacity in an open field not far from the airport. Oxfam America, a group of independent non-governmental organizations, works to deliver immediate life-saving assistance to people affected by natural disasters or conflict. Harrison High School students chose the organization because it continues to provide long-term assistance to those affected by disaster. Oxfam currently has a staff of approximately 200 people in Haiti, including a group of highly experienced emergency specialists. This emergency team is supporting rescue efforts, assessing the damage and responding with public health, water and sanitation services to prevent the spread of waterborne disease. Oxfam will stay in Haiti to help rebuild the health and educational services the country will need in the coming months. “We are so pleased that our students have organized the ‘Harrison for Haiti’ drive,” said Harrison High School Principal Dr. James Ruck. “They all came together and wanted to do what they could to help the countless victims and we couldn’t be more proud of their efforts.” The program is taking place under the guidance of the high school’s global and world studies teachers Tara Morrissey, Claudia Milne, Laryca Makarczuk and French teacher Susie Michel, Community members are encouraged to donate to the cause; checks made payable to either organization are being collected in the main office of Harrison High School.
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