Twin brothers Daniel and Alex Filosa took time out from their busy fundraising schedules to show off some of the crazy hats created by students as part of one of their fun day themes. They are holding one of 800 snowflakes the school made and sent off to the new Sandy Hook Elementary School. A $500 donation from the kids funds went along with the snowflakes. Forum Newsgroup photo by Patricia Adams
Hurricane Sandy sit and wait to get determinations about billions of dollars in proposed government aide, one group of victims—residents of Howard Beach, Broad Channel and Rockaway–didn’t have to wait for a congressional vote–their approval came from a roundtable discussion of 5th Graders at P.S. 100 in Ozone Park.
And unlike the U.S. Congress, it didn’t take very long for the bunch of 10-year-olds to know exactly what had to be done to help out those affected by Hurricane Sandy within their own school committee–they had to be helped.
A total of 16 staff members at the school, many of them teachers, were devastated by the storm, most temporarily displaced and some of them virtually homeless.
For the past 13 years the school has been participating in a program known as Penny Harvest by Common Cents in which students collect pennies, getting help from just about any friend, family member or contact they meet up with, using themed fund-raisers to generate penny revenue. Their harvest funds are then banked and held under their school’s name.
Student leaders then sit on roundtables and discuss community problems and how they can be helped. The students decide which causes they want to support and write grants to have their penny harvest funds awarded to their chosen causes.
This year there was no question about the cause they wanted to support—their teachers and other staff members who had really been hurt by the storm.
Math coach Debbie Fiallo, known among the students as “The Penny Princess”, has been running the school’s Penny Harvest for the last eleven years.
“The kids knew a lot of the teachers and staffers were affected by the storm and immediately got the idea to do something to help.”
Fifth grader Alex Filosa, 10, and his twin brother Daniel are no strangers to the world of school philanthropy and were among the first to take the bull by the horns and get rolling with the project. “We knew we had to help,” Alex said, “that’s just what you do when people are in trouble.” And help they did, leading the student body to a collection of more than $1,600 through a bake sale and another event dubbed Halloween Part Two. But the students didn’t stop there, they went on to question Ms. Fiallo as to what she was doing personally to help. “I’ve been helping teachers clean out their houses and also volunteered with another clean-up group organized by a friend Adelphi University.
But Fiallo saw she wasn’t getting away that easily and came up with the idea to have the students write a letter asking for help which she sent out to all of her friends, including everyone on her Christmas card list. The letter writing campaign brought another $2,500 in donations.
In the end, monies went to the purchase of various gift cards to Waldbaum’s, Home Depot and Target. Each of the affected staffers were then given an “Angel Bag” with their gift cards and a handwritten note that read:
In the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, a man believes he has lost his house and everything he believes is important.
It took a little angel to help him get back on his feet and understand the importance of family and friends.
By the end, he realizes that when you think you are down for the count,
you can always be lifted up again (with a little help from your friends).
We changed our Penny Harvest this year to help you.
We had fun on Fridays to take your mind off things. We may have brought in supplies, cooked a hot meal,
volunteered to fix or clean up your house.
We know our gifts can’t rebuild, but … We hope it can help renew your belief that you are not alone.
We wish you a holiday that is filled with happiness.
Remember that whenever you hear a bell ring … it means an angel has earned their wings.
Best wishes for the happiest of holidays!
And in the end, P.S. 100 students proved it’s not only what comes out of the mouths of babes that we need to pay attention to; it’s also about what comes from their hearts.
For Nora Delaney, a school para who lost her home in Rockaway, the Angel Bag was one of very few bright spots. “I was overwhelmed with emotion just to think that these children have so much kindness and caring in them,” said Delaney. Echoing her sentiment was another recipient, teacher Adia Ringgold. “We were both appreciative and humbled by this thoughtful and sweet gesture,” said Ringgold. “And those gift cards were surely put to good use.”
But the magic of giving didn’t stop there. Upon hearing abut what the students did for the school staff, local business owner, Nick Agola of Sofia’s Pizza, decided the students good deed should not go unrewarded and is making arrangements with the school to throw a pizza party for the student leaders that organized the project.
“We all have a lot to learn from kids like this,” he said. “The very least I can do is feed them––we gotta keep them strong so they keep getting these great ideas.”
By Patricia Adams
