Students raise funds

By Katelyn Gendron-List, Staff Writer

WEST SPRINGFIELD This is no ordinary end-of-the-year family picnic day of yard games and baked goods at the Coburn Elementary School: this year two classes of fifth graders have planned a car wash and bake sale in order to raise funds for those in the war-torn country of the Sudan.

As part of a social justice project, the two classes, under the tutelage of Sara Palmer and Emily Williams, were asked what they wanted to change in the world. Since February the students chose to study racism and malaria.

According to Palmer and Williams their students were so shocked to learn that slavery still existed in the world that they became convinced they could make a difference.

"It was 100 percent their choice to study racism this year," Sara Palmer, fifth grade teacher at Coburn Elementary School said of her class of students. "Since the students learned that slavery still existed in the world they were motivated to help," she continued.

When the students learned that it only took between $40 and $50 to free a Sudanese slave, they immediately began to brainstorm on ways to raise the money, according to Palmer. The students decided to hold a car wash at their school on June 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; $4 for a regular car, $5 for a large truck, and $6 for a "really dirty car."

All of the money raised will be donated to the American Anti-Slavery Group in conjunction with Christian Solidarity International, a group that works on the ground to free Sudanese slaves from their owners and reunite them with their families.

Not only are the students holding a car wash but also a bake sale, a can drive as well as hosting various games and activities in order to educate people about malaria.

According to Williams, fifth grade teacher at the Coburn Elementary School, her class decided to learn about malaria, while Palmer's class learned about slavery.

The students will be hosting games such as "pin-the-parasite-on-the-mosquito," "malaria bulls-eye," and "malaria medic tag," where the mosquitoes are "it" and the doctors are in charge of freeing all those tagged by the malaria-infected mosquito.

"I am overwhelmed," Williams said about her students. " The end of the year is usually mayhem and the students can fall off track so easily but they have shown me that they can handle it and it makes me so proud of them."

Both Williams and Palmer and Diane Doe, vice principal of the Coburn Elementary School, each stated how encouraged they were about the success of this social justice project and are planning to make it a permanent part of the curriculum.

In addition to the funds raised donations will also be accepted before June 8. Donations may be sent to Room 21 Racism Group, 115 Southworth St., Westspringfield, MA, 01089.