Beckendorff Junior High Raises Over $20K for Local Nonprofit
It’s no secret that children love friendly competition. When incentivized with the promise of a reward, motivation kicks in to help get the job done. But in some instances, the sweetest reward isn’t a tangible object or a fun activity – it’s knowing you’re making a difference.
That’s exactly how students in the Leadworthy class at Beckendorff Junior High felt during their recently completed Ready 2 Roll Day, an annual fundraising challenge that encourages students to raise money for a local charity. While many schools conduct similar campaigns, what makes this initiative unique is the class that spearheads the effort.
During the planning process, students decide on which cause they are most passionate about and conduct research on local nonprofits that are rooted in mission to help meet those needs. Students learn about what determines 501(c)3 status and ensure that the selected charity allocates the majority of funds received toward their mission, helping students become informed givers. Once the charity is selected, Leadworthy students prepare a presentation about the organization, their mission, and why their fellow students should give to this charity, then a voting process takes place to make the final selection.
This year, Leadworthy students and their peers selected Sunshine Thru the Rain, a local charity dedicated to helping children that have lost one or both of their parents by providing a safe environment to express and share their experiences and make new memories. Leadworthy students were inspired to select this charity after discovering that they are the only organization doing this kind of work in the community. Sunshine Thru the Rain provides outings for kids and their extended family and next month, they are hoping to take a trip to NASA.
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Thanks to Leadworthy students at Beckendorff Junior High, Sunshine Thru the Rain is even closer towards that goal, raising over $20,000 through this year’s Ready 2 Roll campaign, which just wrapped up this past Friday. Students who raised $20 or more received a Ready 2 Roll t-shirt and teachers across the school created incentives for their students, including a lip synch to be performed by Beckendorff Junior High theatre teachers during all of the lunch periods. |
Although the incentives are fun and enticing, the greatest reward is knowing that other children in the community who have lost one or both parents can still experience joy, like the organization’s namesake implies.
“What I hope my Leadworthy students remember is they have the skills - the voice - the power - and the heart to change the lives of other people,” said Siemers.
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Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
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