Sixth graders from Middlebrook’s “6-Green” may only be 11- and 12-year-olds, but they certainly are mighty. Especially when you look at the fact that the 100-plus group as a whole just raised close to $5,000 to donate to the March of Dimes.
In April, the entire 6th grade took part in a walk-a-thon to raise money. Each of the three ‘teams’ in the grade (Red, Yellow and Green) chose which charities they would fundraise for by a vote. In Green, encouraged by team leader, teacher Darren Gunn, 12 students stood up in front of their peers at an assembly to ask their classmates to consider a cause favored by each of them.
When the Green team voted, they chose the March of Dimes, moved by the personal stories of two of their classmates–Caroline Hess and Madeline “Maddie” Pennino, both of whom have younger siblings who were born prematurely. When the walk-a-thon took place on April 25, the girls’ siblings–Brody Hess and Lila Pennino, who are now both healthy–attended.
Just last week, the green team presented the money they raised through their efforts to Laura Gervais, a representative of the March of Dimes. At the presentation, Mr. Gunn, their teacher, told them how impressed he was with their hard work.
“I want to congratulate you because, there are 114 of you and we raised $4,875. That’s a really, really strong number. There was no $2,000 donation; there was no $1,000 donation; there was no $500 donation–there wasn’t any large donation where one kid came in and saved the day. The reason we were able to raise as much money as we did because each of you took ownership in some way. We had some donations that were $10, $50 and there was a wide range, but the percentage of you that got involved in this is truly incredible, almost all of you did something to contribute, and that’s how a team works. In the end when it all adds up, it’s a huge accomplishment.”
Before accepting the check, the March of Dimes’ Gervais helped put in perspective what the money the kids raised can do.
“Some of these babies are so small they can fit into your hand. But for over 75 years the March of Dimes has been helping babies like these and their families. We put a lot of money into research, a lot of it right here in CT, to find why it happens–1 in 10 babies are born too soon and we still don’t know why in every case.”
Gervais asked if any of the children there had been born premature; about 20 raised their hands. “Look at you now!” She then asked for a show of hands of anyone who knew someone, a sibling, cousin or friend, who had been born early. “And everyone in the room was a baby at some point. The March of Dimes touches all of us, whether it’s through the vaccines you get–the research we funded helped that–or screenings for babies right when they’re born, and something called surfactant therapy, which helps a tiny baby’s lungs that aren’t developed yet. All of us are impacted by the work the March of Dimes does.”
At mention of surfactant therapy Madeline raised her hand to tell the class that her own sister had surfactant therapy when she was born, bringing it home how directly the March of Dimes is related to the kids’ experience.
“We can put this money toward research into why some babies don’t make it to their first birthday. You’re helping us get closer to the day when every single baby will be born full term and healthy, and you should feel very proud of your accomplishment,” Gervais added.