Middle School’s ‘$80 for Haiti’ surpasses goal

Students from Project Explore class motivate school to raise more than $2,000 for relief effort

By CARRIE OLSON Daily-Freeman Journal Staff Writer

Jars and jars of coins were collected. And after all the spare change was counted, Webster City Middle School students and teachers were able to raise $2,143 for the Red Cross Haiti relief effort.

This is due to the efforts of 'From the Middle,' the middle school's weekly news program produced by the Project Explore students.

"We decided to add a segment called 'Focus On,'" student Madeline Keane said. "We decided to do our first feature on Haiti and start a fundraiser to go with the piece. We encouraged classes to raise money for the effort."

Each fifth- through eighth-grade class collected over $80 worth of change for the cause.

"We expected to raise around $1,800," Project Explorer Teacher Patsy Brock said. "It was amazing to see all the nickels, dimes and quarters in the jars we collected and to see how much loose change could amount to."

Brock said that the students were motivated to start the project after watching the news of the trauma that Haiti sustained.

Vice Principal Duane Harding was impressed with the students' efforts.

"It was a huge undertaking," he said. "The entire school took part in the effort and have donated their own pocket change for a great cause."

Contact Carrie Olson at lifestyles@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.