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Schools

Elkridge Students Reach Out to Japan

Children extended financial and emotional support to those affected by the tsunami.

This month, several Elkridge schools collected money or wrote to families hurt by the tsunami and earthquake in Japan.

In March, Japan was devastated by an earthquake registering 9.0 on the Richter scale, followed by a tsunami and nuclear disaster. Tens of thousands were killed or left homeless and are trying to pick up the pieces of their lives.

As a way to reach out to these victims, Maryland State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick launched the Maryland Kids Care Campaign–"Operation Japan"–asking 1,500 public schools to collect pennies to aid those impacted. 

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Several Elkridge public schools joined the campaign. In one week,  raised more than $500 by asking students to bring in their extra coins from May 2 to May 6. 

 held a “Hats on for Japan Day” on May 12. Students were allowed to wear a hat to school all day if they donated 25 cents or more to Japan's relief efforts, said Ben Wade, school counselor. That day, Deep Run teachers discussed the connection—how the hats and donations can help the victims of the earthquake—to teach social responsibility. The "Hat Day" generated about $161. 

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“Based on the donations we received, we feel the students really connected to this project,” Wade said.

Private schools in Elkridge reached out to Japanese victims in their own way too.

Ryo Shinomiya, a student at from Japan who still has family there, decided he wanted to help. He brought in a poster, put out a donation can and read a speech about the disaster. To help Shinomiya's campaign, the school held special lunches to raise money for Japan, said Craig Falk, a teacher heading up the project. Among the 80 students, $300 was collected and sent to the Japanese Red Cross.

fourth grade students extended a different kind of help: spiritual support. During computer class, they have been writing inspirational thoughts and prayers on a website for the victims, said Sherry Mobley, technology teacher.

Students have told Japanese families never to give up hope, among other messages written from the heart.

This year's campaign wasn't the first time the state asked schools to help victims of disasters. Maryland schools raised $1.3 million to help victims of Hurricane Katrina and $500,000 to help with the Haiti disaster last year through Maryland Kids Care Campaign.

According to Grasmick, this year's campaign ran from April 1 to May 13. Money will be donated to American Red Cross Central Maryland Chapter, which is supporting the Japanese Red Cross to provide emergency relief, medical services and emotional counseling to affected cities.

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