Beads of relief
Some elementary school students were moved to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. But how could they do it?
By MATHEW WASSERMAN
Published September 23, 2005
BROOKSVILLE - After seeing media reports of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, many students at Pine Grove Elementary School mentioned to their teachers that they wished there was some way they could help. That was the genesis of a little fundraiser that will go a long way.
When she got word of the young students' desire to help, fifth-grade teacher and student council leader Mary Henninge went to principal Dave Dannemiller to ask if the school could put together some kind of assistance program. Left to ponder the request, Dannemiller came up with Beads for the Bayou.
"I wanted to do a fundraiser for the students, but elementary school kids don't carry a lot of cash," said Dannemiller. "I wanted them to really feel like they were doing a lot to help. So we decided to go with this."
For every string of beads a student brings in to school, Vulcan Construction Material in Brooksville, the school's local business partner for three years, will donate $1. As the drive finished last Friday afternoon, the count was up to 4,000 beads, which means Vulcan will donate $4,000 to United Way of Hernando County. Along with the money, the school also is currently deciding the best method for sending the beads out.
"There was just so much concern from the kids that we wanted them to feel like they could help even though they can't donate too much money. The beads are a gesture of hope," said Henninge. "And this way, they're putting in the effort and because of that, the money is coming from the business partner."
Alan Stotz, plant manager at Vulcan Material, said the hurricane had an impact on many workers at the Brooksville plant, so he was glad to help.
"The devastation struck a chord nationally," said Stotz. "But we also have locations of our company that were directly affected, and I know people that are now homeless. So for our company to be doing something is great."
From day one, the students jumped on the project without any kind of enticement or reward-based motivation. They did it to help.
"There are no pizza parties for the class that collects the most beads or any thing like that," said Henninge. "The parents are not really involved. We just sent a flier home explaining what we were doing. It's just the kids trying to help."
Other than creating beads of their own, the newly elected student council members are helping by operating areas of the drive, such as the counting and collection of beads.
One fifth-grade student council member, Geoffrey Brooks, had a high profile job.
"I put the beads up on the display wall in the courtyard," said Brooks. "We've got over 170 beads there already. Everybody is saying it looks good."
Beads for the Bayou has a wider scope than many school fundraisers. The focus is not on the students themselves. It is on a situation that is really beyond their boundaries.
"It is a way for these kids to get a better of idea of what is going on outside of their world," said Henninge. "It puts them more in contact with these situations."
The fundraiser also teaches students that although their age and size often makes them powerless, their actions can effect change.
"I think it will help them understand that they can make a difference, no matter their age or anything else if they put in the effort," said Dannemiller.