Schools Coping with Katrina in Louisiana

Katrina's Aftermath - St. Bernard Parish Schools Update

Video - NITV announces donation to St. Bernard Parish

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(This is a secure page on our sister site, Teachersandfamilies.com.)

At the annual meeting of the NITV Board of Directors – the folks who bring you TeachersFirst – on December 8, NITV's President, Steven J. Gorski and Chairman, William H Harris, Ph.D., presented a check for over $30,000 to Doris Voitier, superintendent of the St. Bernard Parish School District. This contribution includes over $6,000 contributed by schools who responded to our plea for assistance to the district in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Here are the stories of some of the schools that helped contriibute to this remarkable effort, along with photos and messages from those schools that sent them.

Wheeler High School, Valparaiso, IN
The key club, student council, and the National Honor Society sponsored a “Puppy Sale” and sold stuffed toy St. Bernard puppies.

Cottonwood Middle School, Cottonwood, AZ
The school placed collection buckets in every classroom and held a month-long “Coin Drive.”

Attached are pictures of our student council members and our principals of two schools (Cottonwood Middle School) and Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary reading to the primary students in exchange for their helping us to raise the money. If all the children in a class brought in a dollar we went over to read to them. We took our school mascot, a LOBO who entertained them by dancing and high fiving.

St. Brendan High School, Miami, FL
The English Honor Society organized a school-wide collection of donations, in spite of an interruption from hurricane Wilma!

Alameda Elementary School, Downey, CA
Students collected pennies and other donations throughout the month of October.

My name is Richard Calderon and I'm a third grade teacher at Alameda Elementary School in Downey, California. Our State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell organized a school-based relief effort in California to help out with the victims of Katrina. He challenged California public schools and school districts to collect pennies (or more) over the course of a month and donate the money to a relief organization of our choice. Well, Alameda students took on this challenge and raised $624.83 and we chose your fund that will help the St. Bernard Parish School District. We will be sending the check within the next few days. Our students have worked hard during this drive and wanted to help other school children get back on their feet. We'd like send you and your organization well wishes for helping put kids first during this time of need. We'd love to hear how the progress is going in your efforts to re-open up St. Bernard schools.

Sincerely,
Richard Calderon & the students of Alameda Elementary

Good Shepherd Catholic Elementary School, Alberta, Canada
Students held a “Cookie Sale” and were challenged to fill a big cookie jar placed in the lobby with additional donations.

H.C. Johnson Elementary School, Jackson, NJ
The school held a “Spare Change Drive.”

Courtland Senior Public School, Ontario, Canada
Seventh and eight-grade students attended a “Mardi Gras” theme dance, complete with masks and beads, sponsored by the international group “Roots and Shoots.”

St. Gerard Magellan Catholic School
St. Gerard Magellan Catholic School in Hollis, NY. This is the first group to have a fund-raising event for Katrina aid. The school is very small with only 224 students (from a lower income neighborhood). They had a dress up day (no uniform!!!) and students wore blue, white and gold (Louisiana flag colors)and were asked to bring in whatever change they could spare. They raised $816.00!!!!