On Thursday, April 16, the students at Heights Elementary School capped off a year of humanitarian efforts with a Change-the-World-a-Thon on the playground that
raised money for three charities selected jointly by the teachers, PTO, and principals. The event was part of the “One School &ndash One World” theme that was integrated into various activities throughout the year with the goal of uniting the school while recognizing that it is part of a bigger world. The three charities that benefited from the fundraiser are Heifer International, Mainspring House, and the Chernobyl Children’s Project. Heifer International works to end world hunger and save the earth by providing families a living loan of an animal Heights second graders have been involved raising money for this program all year. Mainspring House is a local organization that provides free lunches to homeless individuals who are seeking employment. Students have been involved with raising money and making lunches throughout the year for this organization. Chernobyl Children’s Project provides medical and humanitarian assistance to victims and survivors of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. This charity was selected because of existing local efforts and connections
Last year Heights held a similar event with the goal of raising funds for their new playground which was installed last summer, and this time the students were looking outside their own community to help others in need. They had fun collecting change and earning additional coins by doing activities like jumping rope and playing games, all for a good cause. These events prove to the student body that they can make a difference in the world when they come together as one.