Grades 6 through 8 at Pierre Elliott Trudeau P.S. ditch classes for fundraiser
Feb 02, 2010 - 10:09 AM
By Stefanie Swinson
OSHAWA -- Intermediate students at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Public School put their pencils and notebooks aside Jan. 29 to ditch class for a good cause.
About 150 kids, in Grades 6 through 8, paid $3 each to leave class and go to the gymnasium to dance for Haiti. The fundraiser was to help those affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Caribbean island nation on Jan. 12.
"The earthquake is really devastating over there. We heard that Haiti's motto is unity makes strength so we thought if we pulled the school together so we could raise some money to help them," said Grade 8 student Jeremy Mathews.
"Since the government is basically matching our funds it's like we're making double."
The Oshawa elementary school has hosted dances in the past but this is the first to raise money.
To cut costs, no DJ was hired. Instead, the Grade 8 students decided to use an iPod hooked up to a computer and the school sound system.
"The Grade 8s got control of the music this time and the Grade 7s weren't happy about that but we got to pick the music this time for the dance," said Grade 8 student Shailene Panylo.
Putting together a playlist that would get people out on the dance floor and was also school friendly was tough, but Emily Kolodziejczak and Samantha Jewell were up to the task.
"We put together a variety of music including what everyone was into," Samantha said.
"We needed to pick like 35 songs to fill the two hours."
Emily said most songs were ones that top the charts on the radio but there were also a couple of the Grade 8's favourites.
The students who were too young to attend the dance weren't left out of the fundraising project. The school is also running "Hugs for Haiti." Students buy Hershey's hugs chocolates and all money raised goes to Haiti through the charity Free the Children.
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