Julia Kim
Staff Writer
A student sits alone at Pabbo Secondary School using candlelight to read a tattered book. The clock reads 11 p.m. and an invisible war is being waged by Joseph Kony against four countries, Uganda being one. The school is in ruins due to this war; it lacks sanitation and resources. Coppell High School is collecting change to initiate change at this Ugandan school.
During the first week of November, the Invisible Children’s Club held their annual fundraiser – this time to raise money for Pabbo Secondary School in Uganda. The club dedicated the week to “Change for Change” at CHS.
The club had several means to raise money including dollar matching and change for change, both of which were ways to raise money supported by the Invisible Children’s organization.
At CHS, the club officers decided on “Change for Change,” beginning the week with “X Marks the Spot”, which was intended to raise a general awareness of the club. The members were encouraged to “kidnap” people throughout the day by creating a large X across other students’ shirts with red duct tape.
“I think the fundraising campaign is a very effective effort to promote interest here in Coppell,” senior Audrey Eichenberger said. “It’s quite a surprise that the little things like change can make such a huge difference in another part of the world.”
In addition, the club also hosted several other activities including a bake sale from Tuesday to Thursday of last week and a fourth period contest. The fourth period class that collected the most change will receive pizza for lunch; history teacher John Harris and art teacher Ann Clark placed first and second raising $166 and $89, respectively.
“This is our third year doing the ‘Change for Change’ week,” vice president Janice Kim said. “It is the best way to raise money while being able to involve the whole school—it’s kind of like a tradition.”
The club sold “Red Out” t-shirts for $8 the entire week to wear at the last home game against Keller Central last Friday. Goodfish also sponsored dinner before the game with a portion of proceeds going towards helping the Invisible Children’s organization.
“We also have cans set up around the community,” president Lily Choi said. “The club wants to do other fundraisers outside of school including a concert.”
CHS Principal Brad Hunt agreed to sing and dance to Justin Bieber’s “Baby” on KCBY if the club raised more than $200, which was easily done. Thus far, the Invisible Children’s club has raised over $2000.
“It was extremely difficult, but it was worth it at the end,” Choi said. “When I got encouragement from the people we’re supporting, it was a big reminder of why we’re doing this. I’m really happy we get to make such a big difference.”
The club’s branch at CHS is involved in the Invisible Children’s national fundraiser, Schools for Schools (S4S). The project encourages creative competition within schools and students in the Western World to raise money, so schools can be rebuilt in war-torn, northern Uganda.
Each region in the United States is assigned a school, and in Texas that school is Pabbo Secondary School. The S4S campaign is a nationwide contest that concludes in mid-December; the school that raises the most money in each region will win an all-expense paid trip next summer to northern Uganda.
