Students read and help raise money for orphanage in Africa

Cypress Lake Middle school students are making a difference in a big way for children they've never met that live in a country they've never visited.

A total of more than $2,000 has been raised as part of a One Book One School Project that taught kids the value of giving back while learning about Africa and the tribes of Kenya.

"They just learn so much. It's the knowledge that they gain about the culture that is a priceless experience," said Dana Thomas, the school's media specialist and organizer in charge of the fundraiser and related projects. "Their efforts here will affect children elsewhere."

All students at the school were asked to read "Thunder Cave," by Roland Smith and learn about the themes in the book in every subject including math and science.

"Studying this across the board helps them understand what that culture is like and how it's different from ours," said Thomas about the activities that included discussions about elephant poaching and ways to be proactive about it. "It all ties in together and the kids love it."

Loving the activities the students have been doing for the last three weeks has been easy since the book's main character spends a lot of time talking about living in Kenya, people starving and his trouble finding water to drink.

"The culture is so different from ours and the kids get to explore that and gain a sense of what other people live through," Thomas said.

The activities of the past week included a speech by Kinya-Muchai, a native from Kenya, who allowed the faculty to dress in typical Kenyan clothing. And, talks about donations the students will be making to the John Halgrim African Orphanage.

Halgrim died of a brain tumor in November of 2007 and asked the Make-A-Wish foundation to grant him the wish of opening an orphanage in Africa.

"They couldn't grant him the wish because it's not allowed so his family and friends stepped up to make his dream a reality," said Tina Kouns, the school's student government sponsor, who helped students organize a car wash that raised $800 for the orphanage.

Halgrim's sister Jamie is a student at Cypress Lake Middle who went through the death of her 15-year-old brother with support from the school, family and friends.

"Reading this book and having the orphanage for John came up all at the same time and it worked," said Kouns adding that Halgrim's parents have purchased land and begun construction of the orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya.

It's set to open in September with 60 orphans but money is still needed to operate the facility and to care and feed the children.

The weeks activities culminated with Friday's visit from the books author, who gave kids his take on writing the story and developing its characters. The visit was the first time a nationally known author visited the school.

"This is huge! An author coming to talk to the kids. They were just thrilled," Thomas said adding that the author donated $100 to the orphanage after his talk. "The children have worked so hard ... it's amazing what they have been able to accomplish."