National Make A Difference Day celebrated in a new way
Twenty dollars can make a ripple effect and a world of difference, especially if it’s placed in the hands of approximately 175 high school students, as was evident during a special assembly Friday, Oct. 24, at Riverside Schools.
That was the premise of a generous and anonymous donor, who made a financial gift by contacting the Logan County Education Foundation, but had the special request that all of the money be given in $20 increments to each of the pupils in grades 9-12 at Riverside High School.
Ahead of Make a Difference Day, which is celebrated across the U.S. today, Oct. 25, the high-schoolers were gathered for the surprise assembly just before the end of the school day Friday afternoon. The students initially weren’t sure why they were missing their last class, but then the energy in the room was all abuzz and brimming with new ideas once they found out why.
LCEF Executive Director Lois Stoll informed the pupils that they would each be receiving $20 that day, with a simple, but powerful mission: to use the money to make a difference in someone’s life.
“About a month ago, I was contacted by an anonymous donor, who had an interesting proposal for a project for Riverside High School students. He cares deeply about your community and your school and he believes strongly in your ability to care for and invest in your community.”
“This is his proposal: What if I gave every student in grades 9-12 a $20 bill to make a difference in someone’s life?
“What do you think? Are you in?” Stoll asked the students. “The next step is up to you. There’s no end to the ideas for the ways you can impact your community.”
The freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors excitedly lined up to the awaiting LCEF trustees on the auditoria stage, Terri Penhorwood, Becky Robison, Brian Knight, Chuck Gamble, Libby Zimmerman and Ben Stahler, joined by Mrs. Stoll, to receive the financial gift to begin this ripple effect.
A number of the students decided to pull their money together toward a bigger cause. For instance, a group of 18 junior and senior friends, with several of the members on the Riverside football team, combined their cash for $360, which they want to use to purchase gift cards to cover medical expenses for two family members who are currently in the hospital.
Eva Dodds and Rolissa Foreman also put their money together and said they wanted to create a gift basket for a mother who just gave birth to a new baby.
“They have baby showers for the new baby, but I want to especially remember the mom and give her a little pick-me-up, too,” Rolissa said.
Similarly, Aairicka Robinson said she wanted to use the funds to make a gift basket for a friend who’s going through cancer treatment. Elijah Kindle said he was interested in donating to a suicide awareness non-profit organization.
Juniors Kara Klingler, Emilee Robinson and Maddie Lemly all began brainstorming with their friends to develop ideas, including possibly helping an Angel tree family for Christmas. Riverside FFA officer Blaine Shoe said he wanted to use his money to add to the FFA project for an adopted family at Christmastime as well.
Fellow junior Morgan Shockley had an idea that was personal to her past, after spending time in the hospital when she was in fifth-grade, recovering from injuries from a dog bite.
“I want to use this money and some of my own to buy flowers and put them on the windshields of people’s cars parked at the hospital. I want to write notes to put with the flowers, to let them know that they’re not alone,” she said.
Superintendent Dr. Scott Mann said he was proud of the empathy and care shown by the students, and was impressed by the donor’s request that the high schoolers would be entrusted with this important task.
“This isn’t like anything we’ve ever done before. I think you’re all finding out, if you work together, you can really help a lot of people,” he said toward the end of the assembly. “I talked to a group of kids who are putting their money together to help with a grandmother’s funeral.”
Stoll and Junior High and High School Principal Kelly Kauffman said each of the students would be completing an English writing assignment next week, describing how they used the $20 to make a difference or their plans for using the funds to make an impact.
“I will be looking forward to not only reading those essays, but also forwarding on your great ideas on to our generous, anonymous donor,” Stoll said.
