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YES Prep Southeast Commits Aid to Haiti

February 28, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

When someone asks me what I love about my job, I tend to have the same response: “I love working with the students because regardless of their background and home situation, many of them are extremely resilient and have overcome many obstacles that would ordinarily stop many of us in our tracks.” Time and time again, students at YES Prep Southeast have impressed me with their smarts, strength and courage. This time happened to be no different.

After the news broke of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, my first instinct was to help. After all, I’m a Social Worker and that’s just what we do! Getting the students and staff involved was an easy task. All it took was a simple email, and all of the grade levels were on the job. It soon became a grade level competition to raise the most money. The grade level that raised the highest amount would receive an ice cream party and have their donation matched by an anonymous donor-this was a pretty sweet deal! All of the grade levels did an amazing job, but the 9^th grade team took home the victory! In total, they raised $853.38 and 15 cases of water in less than two weeks! The 9^th grade students were so excited helping the people of Haiti, that on the last day of the competition, they were in the cafeteria with signs that read, “Donations for Haiti: $26 left!” and due to their last-minute push, they achieved their goal. I visited James Sheridan’s class to congratulate the students on their success, and they were literally in awe with what they accomplished and how it would help so many people. Mr. Sheridan stood before his class, reminding them of their impact and the importance of giving. He told them that they didn’t raise this money for an ice cream party, but because that’s just what we do as human beings.

The most amazing part, in my opinion, was how excited the students were to help. At YES Prep, we are constantly stressing the importance of service and giving back to our communities. Our students seemingly have internalized this idea and in turn were encouraging their peers to do the same. All over campus, I would hear students talking about Haiti and how the money they raised would help provide food, clothing, shelter, medical supplies and other needed goods. This was truly inspiring and heart-warming.

Thanks to all of the students at Southeast, and Erica DiBella, our librarian, for donating all of the library’s late fees, our campus was able to contribute $1811.67 to Yele.org and Unicef to provide aid to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. We also had a matched donation of $853.38 that went to the Hope for Haiti’s Children Foundation in the name of YES Prep Southeast 9^th graders. In addition to the monetary donations, 6^th graders brought canned goods and other non-perishable items, and Tara Johnson had her students create the most beautiful expressions of hope, love, compassion and courage through their artwork.

I am truly blessed to be surrounded by such empathic and compassionate students. This is truly why I do this job. Our students are constantly making us better people and changing the world, one day at a time!

DyMisha Richardson is a Student Support Counselor at YES Prep SE. She received her B.S in Marketing from Chicago State University in 2005 and her Masters in Social Work from UH in 2007. She has worked at YES Prep since 2007.