‘Coins for Change’

TUXEDO — Third-graders at Tuxedo Park School recently raised approximately $1,290 through their “Coins for Change” drive to be used to buy books for second and third-grade students at a rural school in Mablomong, South Africa.

Their efforts to help students less fortunate than themselves began following a presentation by Tuxedo Park resident Sue Heywood, who told them about her travels to that nation through the Carryou Ministry.

The students were learning about South Africa during one of their culture study lessons before winter break. Heywood stopped by to talk about her volunteer work with Carryou.

Heywood, a British native who is now a U.S. citizen, has been making visits to that area of South Africa since 2001 and has seen how children live in unimaginable poverty—without food, medicine, clothing, proper shelter or even the ability to go to school. Her efforts have allowed many Tuxedo residents and students to have a positive influence on these children.

No books to read
During Heywood’s visit to Mablomong last summer, she offered to read students a story, only to be told: “We don’t have any books.”

She told the Tuxedo Park third-graders what happened during her classroom visit in December.

“They were so sad to think of children their own age with no books to read,” she added.

From Jan. 14 to 18, the young students collected money from the Tuxedo Park School community and at a drive-by collection station near the school’s entrance. The money will now be given to Heywood’s South African liaison along with a list of book titles the students thought their South African counterparts would enjoy.

Heywood felt the students took a lot of time and effort to collect that much pocket change.

“To see children take a lot of trouble to research what’s going on in South Africa and learn about what’s happening there, they are aware of how much they have and how little these kids have,” said Heywood. “I’m proud of the initiative and energy and enthusiasm the children have taken in the fund raiser.”

‘We’re spoiled’
The young students were happy to talk about their success.

“I learned that everyone has a ‘bucket,’ and when you fill someone’s bucket, you fill your bucket, too,” said third-grader Courtney Swingle. “A ‘bucket’ represents what you feel and who you are and what you do. It tells me that I can help more kids and do more charity work because I know what to expect. Helping kids is a really big deal and it’s good for their education and it’s good to learn about them and you learn stuff about yourself that you didn’t really know.”

Her classmate Serdar Kaltalioglu felt the class effort reinforced how lucky they were and how they should be attentive to helping others.

“Sometimes we don’t know it but we are spoiled,” said Serdar. “Some kids are desperate for what we have. Believe it or not, sometimes with books, children aren’t really that different.”

Their comments pleased Colleen Schilly, the school’s third-grade head teacher and its primary school division coordinator.

“I think some of the things the kids walked away with are their own self-awareness and awareness of others,” Schilly said. “Throughout the course of the project, they all grew a lot in their ability to work together for a cause and a purpose. Because it was for such a real purpose, I think who they have become as leaders and followers and good people is more meaningful and lasting because the project had a real connection and real purpose.”

By Nancy Kriz