Students Collect 40,000 Pencils for Nigerian Schools

No matter how you feel about the American education system, there must be some solace in knowing that, at the very least, students can have something to write with when they need it.

That's a simple privilege that is just not enjoyed by children attending schools in Nigeria, and students at Jamison Elementary School have worked together to give those kids some help.

Under the guidance of fifth-grade teacher Claudia Young, the children at Jamison Elementary have collected more than 40,000 pencils and other school supplies for poverty-stricken students in Lagos, Nigeria. The drive is one of the many service projects that Young started as part of a program she created called "The Make a Difference Kids."

"I started the program with the intention of teaching kids that even at a young age they can have a positive impact on the world," Young said in an emailed statement.

Other donation events started this year by the program include:

• a bookdrive that benefited the Philadelphia Reads Book Bank. 
• a Halloween candy collection for the Ronald McDonald House.
• a blanket making party that benefited Project Linus, which gives blankets to traumatized kids.
• a holiday campaign to make pictures and projects for area seniors. 
• launching an indoor recess program that gives students options to color pictures for seniors or decorate bags for food banks. 
• mentoring younger "buddy" classes and completing projects with them. 
• completion of an art piece which was donated to the Children's Advocacy Center in Jamison.

Young says her contact in Lagos, Nigeria recently informed her that many children there attend school barefoot, prompting the students to also collect almost 250 pairs of shoes. With many boxes packed and ready to go, all the school needs is a way to ship them to Lagos. Young is reaching out to area businesses for their support. Anybody interested in conributing to the cause can contact Young at clyoung@cbsd.org or call (267) 229-6434.

Young says she plans on traveling to Nigeria in July and visit their schools, meet the children, and do some volunteer work in their schools and clinics. Her mother donated her frequent flyer points to help make the trip possible.

"I am very excited to have this opportunity to help create a connection between children in two nations and from such different cultures," says Young. "I am sure this experience will be life changing."