AMHERST - Student council at the junior high school here are issuing a challenge to all schools throughout the province.
Chris Hill and Connor Somers, E.B. Chandler president and vice-president respectively, wanted to do something after Haiti was struck with a magnitude-7 earthquake last week.
"We will put out a challenge for all schools in Nova Scotia to raise the amount in dollars equal to the number of students in those schools," Somers said just before lunch Tuesday.
"This is very important to Haitians," said Hill, adding things would have been a lot worse if the earthquake had struck in the water.
"There are still 800 Canadians that are unaccounted for."
Somers wants people to think about their own communities.
"Amherst has a population close to 10,000. That would be as if 20 Amhersts had been wiped out in minutes," said Somers.
"We want students to put themselves in the shoes of Haitians," added Hill.
Starting with an assembly Friday, the junior high students will kick off a Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser that ties in with their winter carnival that begins Feb. 1.
Each day throughout next week will be a theme day, with themes ranging from hat day, to face painting, career day, wacky day and even celebrity look-a-like day.
"We have about 350 students here, so if every student pays $1 to participate in one of those days, we'll reach our goal of $350," said Hill.
"If we raise $500, the principal said I could be principal for a day and she would attend all my classes for me."
Teachers will also be involved during the fundraiser, participating in an auction on Friday. Hill said they can auction themselves off, or auction off an item such as taking a pie in the face.
"A lot of the schools in the province are doing something to help out in Haiti, so we thought this would be a great challenge because the government is matching every dollar, up to $50million," Hill said.
rtetanish@amherstdaily.com
