January 14, 2005
Carolina International School Demonstrates True Spirit of Giving
CIS students and their families donate time
and money to local organizations
HARRISBURG, N.C. – Since Carolina International School opened in fall 2004, the public charter school has demonstrated one of its core values — community service — in numerous ways. The following is a sampling of the various service-related activities in which students have participated:
CIS sixth graders helped organize a
canned food for CCM of Cabarrus Co.
Mr. Bunch’s second graders collect new toys for the Women & Children’s Homeless Shelter in Charlotte.
- In a fund-raiser organized by the CIS Student Council, students raised $677 in early January to aid the tsunami relief efforts of UNICEF. With matching funds from a local corporation, the school raised almost $1,150 to help those affected by the tsunami that hit South Asia in late December. “All of the students at CIS were eager to participate in this fund-raiser and help those affected by the tsunami,” says Cory Anders, president of the CIS Student Council and a seventh-grader at the school. “Our school’s motto is ‘The world is our family’ and this campaign shows how much we care about our global family.”
- With help from middle school social studies teacher Melissa Gayan and middle school science teacher Saretha Lavarnway, the sixth grade class sponsored a canned food drive in December for the Cooperative Christian Ministries (CCM) and collected a schoolwide total of almost 800 cans/boxes of food. Betty Jean Prewitt, director of CCM, came to the school to thank the students and spoke about CCM’s mission. The coalition of churches, which began in 1981, now incorporates around 150 churches in the Cabarrus County area. On average, CCM serves 9,000 people a year. The food donated by CIS students fed those at the Samaritan House Soup Kitchen and the night shelter. The Soup Kitchen feeds an average of 28 people for lunch each day. “This food drive shows that CIS students and teachers care that those in the community are fed,” says sixth-grader Bailey Hayman.
- Troy Bunch, CIS second grade teacher, challenged his students to collect new toys and gently used clothing for needy children in the area. More than 90 new gifts and gently used clothing were donated by students throughout the school and delivered in late December to the Salvation Army’s Women & Children’s Homeless Shelter. The organization provides services to an average of 160 women and children every night. CIS parent Kristin Basilice helped with the clothing drive.
- Middle school math teacher Antina Chambers’ seventh grade students collected approximately $100 to purchase Christmas gifts for four Angel Tree recipients. The students picked out the gifts themselves during a field trip to a local mall
- Seventh grade students visited residents of a local nursing home in November. The students played games and talked with the elderly patients.
“Service is one of the core values of our community and it is encouraging to see young people so committed to helping others in need,” says CIS Director Richard Beall. “Our students are continuously looking for opportunities to share their energy and resources with others.”
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Carolina International School is a new North Carolina public charter school offering grades K-7, adding a grade each year to become a full K-12 system. The school’s mission is to nurture students’ natural curiosity and joy of learning while they achieve academic excellence through a challenging, interdisciplinary, international curriculum. For more information, visit the Carolina International School website at www.CarolinaInternationalSchool.org.
