Kent Place Midde Schoolers Provides "Helping Hands" For Japan Relief

Patch Whiz Kid of the Week

•  Whiz Kid's Name(s), Age(s): The students at Kent Place Middle School
• Whiz Kid's School/Church/Community Center: Kent Place
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: On April 21, the Kent Place Middle School sponsored an event called “Helping Hands for Japan,” a fundraising activity to aid the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. All funds raised will be donated to rebuilding several schools in the city of Ishinomaki, Japan. By the event’s end, $5,000 was raised.
• Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: Students, teachers and parents participated in several activities, including a cultural look at Japan through music, fashion and hand-made origami. The paper cranes made by students were available for “sponsoring,” with the Middle School making over 1,000 origami figures.

A second part of “Helping Hands” was a dress sale of gently worn dresses donated by Middle and Upper School students. The dress sale also benefitted the city of Ishinomaki. Students were also encouraged to wear red to the event, complete with a face-painting station. Other activities included eating traditional Japanese snacks and writing letters and haiku poems. The poems and cards written for the event will be posted on a “Wall of Hope” by a teacher in Ishinomaki.

Sixth grader Hana Charnley and her mother, Noriko, a native of Japan, were instrumental in organizing the event, including contacting students in Ishinomaki.
Students in the Middle School have also been making presentations on the current situation in Japan; including the series of events during the past few months, as well as the impact on the lives of school children. The Middle School has also produced a short movie of greetings and expressions of support from the Kent Place community to send along to Ishinomaki.

“The money we raised and the video we are making are going to Ishinomaki where other middle schools will be able to say that we care for them and are thinking of them,” said Hana. “I think the festival was really fun and turned out great, and I think everyone enjoyed it.”

“I was so impressed by the sight of the whole Middle School coming together to celebrate the culture of Japan and to reach out to those who are trying to rebuild after the devastation,” said Amanda Berry, Middle School English teacher and event organizer. “Looking at these long chains of paper cranes strung together, I am so moved by the way many hands worked together to make a difference.“

Have a Whiz kid you want to nominate? E-mail us at Heather@Patch.com with the above information. Make sure to include a photo!