Lakeview Middle School students and staff exceeded their goal in raising funds for Feed My Starving Children through a phone-a-thon.
With a goal to raise $2,000 for the 2022 Warsaw MobilePack that begins today, Tuesday, Oct. 11, Lakeview Middle School rallied to raise $12,101.97, according to a news release from Warsaw Community Schools.
Michele White, assistant principal and athletic director, gave credit to Bryon Weinstein for this innovative approach to this challenge.
“It began with sharing the goal on our website and social media. Todd Braddock, Lakeview Middle School principal, then shared it in his parent newsletter. A QR code was on display at parent-teacher conferences and homeroom teachers shared an educational video with all students to help them learn about the mission of FMSC to pack 700,000 meals for children around the world. In addition, we heard that our cafeteria staff shared the link on their Facebook pages for their friends and families to donate. One young man asked us for a flyer to post at the local bowling alley. It really was a schoolwide effort,” she said.
With the motivation that 24 cents will cover the cost of one meal and that $88 will feed one child for an entire year, Lakeview students were given a script in English and in Spanish with one hour during their homeroom period to call their contacts or use their iPads to email and ask for a donation.
White said, “It was also an authentic opportunity for our students to develop communication skills and have a meaningful experience enriching the lives of others. It was heartwarming to witness everyone coming together and using their iPads and cell phones for this positive purpose. It was an inclusive experience that we all did together.”
Emily Day, school counselor, said, “478 students reached out to former teachers, to other schools, to coaches, and even local businesses. We were really impressed with the level of empathy we saw as students gave their pocket money, talked about how they withdrew cash from their bank accounts, and told us that they donated money they had planned to spend on themselves.”
Braddock said, “It really was incredible to watch students in every homeroom fully engaged in this challenge; their level of energy and passion was remarkable. There was no reward other than the personal satisfaction of giving to help others. They took the initiative and we saw our mission in action. All four pillars of the Warsaw Community Schools’ strategic plan came into play: empathy, experience, adaptability and inclusivity. We’d like to thank all the families and local businesses who donated and give a special mention to BC Enterprise for their generosity. We are excited that all Lakeview Middle School students will now have an opportunity to pack meals at the TRAC, WCHS, on Friday, Oct. 14. These are the life-changing experiences that our students will always remember.”
White said, “Lakeview Middle School fully embraced the district theme of ‘A Year of Kindness’ and created a monthly recognition program called Kindness in Action. We’ve been intentional about building a culture of caring so we are thrilled to see the results. We are so proud and thankful for our Lakeview students and appreciate the community support we experienced.”
