Last week, a handful of students decided to give back and fundraise to help an orphanage in Haiti.

Lizz July, Anastasia July, Anna Aguiar, Evan Medfish, and Andrew Hutmire attend the same church.  After completing the Thirty Hour Famine, the group kicked off their campaign at North Hills.  To raise money, they collected donations during lunch and sponsored a jeans day on Friday, April 11 for teachers.

A fellow member of the students’ church is a part of the ESPWA Foundation.  The organization helps fight poverty in Haiti by offering medical care and running orphanages.  Before he embarks on his annual trip to Haiti, he gives the youth group the opportunity to go out into the community to ask for donations to support the children in the orphanages he will be visiting.

To prepare for the event, the students tackled the Thirty Hour Famine.  This is an event many service groups do to truly learn about hunger while giving back.  As the name suggests, the famine involves eating no food for thirty hours.  To pass the time, the students spent time together at their church working on various service projects.  In this way, one is truly putting him or herself in another’s shoes before they help them.  Junior Lizz July says that the famine “is something I would definitely encourage to anyone and everyone.”

Throughout the halls, posters have been hung to advertise the Haiti Project.  Displaying shocking facts about the conditions in Haiti, they grab attention fast.  The facts represent a grim reality, but it is reassuring to know that students right here at North Hills have taken the initiative to positively impact other children 1,500 miles away.  However, everyone’s help is needed.  As Lizz explains, “There are many ways to get involved.  You can use any talent or interest you have… It’s amazing how small donations add up, creating a huge impact to these kids in Haiti.”  With the attention our school has recently grabbed nationwide, this is great way to keep our positive influence flowing.