Hamilton Elementary/Middle School Helps Haiti

By Sofia Glasson-Sakson
Dean of Instruction
Hamilton Elementary/Middle School

Even before the Maryland State Department of Education's (MSDE) call for schools to raise funds and awareness to support Hatian relief, students at Hamilton Elementary/Middle School had sprung into action. When Maryland State Superintendant Nancy Grasmick contacted schools statewide to consolidate the effort, Hamilton, located in northeast Baltimore, was poised to make a substantial contribution.

Students and staff initiated a plan that engaged the whole school community in collecting money to support those affected by the earthquake that hit Hispanola. "It's an important cause, but it's also an important opportunity for our students," reflects 6th-grade teacher Tricia Storke. "It's a chance for us to come together as a school family."

Here's how our students and staff members helped:

• Students in 1st through 3rd grades made posters to hang around the building to raise awareness.
• Students in 3rd and 4th grades made cookies to sell after lunch periods, raising nearly $100.
• Two classrooms, the cafeteria staff and the main office oversaw change jars that brought in over $500.
• The 7th and 8th-grade service learning elective class counted and rolled coins. 
• 6th-grade students and their teacher held a school-wide pizza sale, raising almost $600.

At the most recent count, over $1,300 has been raised by the Hamilton community. With another week left in the MSDE fundraising timeframe, the school has exceeded its goal of $1,000 and hopes to raise $1,500.

"Hamilton is blessed with a strong staff of teacher leaders and a caring and supportive parent community," says Principal Willaim Murphy. "It's no surprise to me that folks here wanted to help, and it's even less of a surprise that it was such a community effort."

Estimates indicate that more than 70% of the families at Hamilton made some level of financial contribution. Signs in the halls encourage community members to give at whatever level then can. "It's like in the Bible with the widow who gives just two cents," explains a 7th grader. "It's all she has, but she's willing to give."

When asked about the success of the fundraising initiative, Principal Murphy, who just returned from paternity leave to find the school's efforts already underway, adds, "It's just another example of how the school almost ran better without me."