Students work to end world hunger one goat at a time
By Scott Alessi
Staff Writer
OLD BRIDGE — Children at St. Thomas the Apostle School will be counting their change over the next six weeks in hopes of buying goats, sheep and other farm animals.
As part of Catholic Schools Week, St. Thomas kicked off a fund raising project in conjunction with Heifer International, an organization that provides animals and plants to impoverished countries throughout the world. Students in all grade levels will be working to collect money to buy farm animals for needy families in Africa.
The project was suggested by math teacher Catherine Draeger, who was familiar with Heifer’s efforts and had worked with them in the past. Each year, students at St.
Thomas prepare projects for a colloquium in celebration of another culture. This year the school has chosen to focus on Africa, which inspired Draeger to suggest a school-wide project with Heifer.
“I thought that this might be a perfect opportunity for us to do something for others and to celebrate African culture at the same time,” said Draeger. After planning out the details with the rest of the faculty, Draeger unveiled the idea to students during a school assembly Jan. 29. She spoke to the children about the poverty and starvation taking place in African countries and the ways that even small contributions can make a large difference.
“What really appeals to me about Heifer is that they don’t just provide families with a meal or funds,” said Draeger. “They teach people how to take care of animals and that makes the entire family and community self-sustaining.” Draeger showed the students a video about African children who were helped by Heifer and how their lives have changed, including a Ugandan girl whose parents were able to afford to send her and her siblings to school because of a goat that they received.
Draeger stressed that funds for the project will come not from parents sending in checks, but from the children themselves raising money. Eighth graders will help kindergarteners wrap pennies, while other children will increase their chores at home or find a sponsor to give them money for every book that they read. Each class will decide how to raise its own money and will later vote on which animals to purchase. Seventh grade student Ariel Rodriguez was quick to make a suggestion of his own for raising funds. “I think we should make little clay animals and sell them,” he said.
Draeger informed the students that the animals they purchase will be used to produce milk, eggs and other useful resources. Their offspring will also be shared with others in the community and can be passed down to future generations. “Years from now, multiple families and communities will be affected by what we do today,” Draeger said.
Some students were surprised to learn about the conditions in Africa and were eager to help those in need. “I thought they already had a lot of animals there,” said eighth grader Amanda Mazzaroni. “But after watching the video and seeing that they don’t, I thought this was a good idea. We’re really going to make a difference in their lives.”
Seventh grade student Alison Wallace was impressed by the large number of people that the project will benefit. “If we were just helping one family, I think less people would be interested,” she said. “Since we are helping so many people and making such a difference I think more people will be encouraged to contribute.”
St. Thomas School Principal Thomasina Wyatt was enthusiastic about the project as well. “I thought it was an excellent idea to participate in something that would be a benefit to other people,” she said. Wyatt said that it will also take a lot of effort, but she feels the children are up to the challenge. “Our students are very excited about it and they’ll do a fantastic job,” she said.
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law