In the name of love

School is the place where kids can study so that they may develop their knowledge and understanding of the real world. At school, it is also very important for students to understand that they are a part of a bigger world community and that they can contribute to it. During the school charity fair, grade five students contributed to the larger community and contributed to charity through donations.

Charity Fair

At the fair the students had the opportunity to donate items such as food, pencils, toys, etc. The items that were donated were sold to other participants. The money from these items was then reserved to go towards charity. The students began preparations for this event about one month ago. They discussed every procedure such as making survey or searching on Internet so as to know where they should donate their money to. We were so surprised to see them so immersed in organizing such an interesting activity. It was a good opportunity for kids to get in touch with other world realities. This task was somewhat difficult, however the students succeeded by working diligently and with much resolve. One student said that it was difficult to sell the products, and arrive at a mutual consensus, but that in the end he “made it”.

Even the shy students, who volunteered to do the actual selling, were willing to communicate with customers whom they were not familiar with. The more items that were sold, the more revenue would be made that could be sent to charity. When lining up for 20 minutes to change coupons, we felt children’s’ enthusiasm to charity. Parents and kids worked together to meet our end goals. Right after the end of the activity, these young men cleaned the hall out of their own initiative, which reflected the voluntary spirit that was in the air.

Charitable Donation

After the charity fair, Grade Five students started thinking about how to help as many people as possible. Thanks to the contribution of parents, we contacted students in Yu Shu who suffered very much because of an earthquake. They have not been able to study at the new school with complete facilities for the past two years. Having found this out, our students decided to purchase large quantities of supplies that are necessary for studying. With the help of parents, they collected six big boxes of stationery including one computer to Yu Shu.

Charitable Journey

The mission of charity did not end there. Some students paid a visit to “Yue Miao Garden” where people with physical and mental impairments live. This trip provided them the opportunity to make contact with a different community of people. Kids were shocked when arriving there because the people in this organization are trying to change their lives rather than relying on others. They taught Grade Five students to thread beads on a string, as well as some other activities. While not all of the students mastered how to bead string on a wire, they all managed to learn about the value of life and human dignity. Sometimes, we regard people with mental or physical impairments as weak. Nevertheless, these people are still deserving of respect and can teach our students about overcoming

personal obstacles in their lives. Grade Five and Grade Six students donated money to ”Yue Miao Garden” in order to try to help them in whatever way they can. The people that the students met encouraged them to be strong and brave no matter what life circumstance they have.

We witnessed that through charity work and an open mind, the students developed a better understanding of different people.

It is charity that brings SHSID, Yu Shu Area, and Yue Miao Garden together. We cannot do great things, but we can do little things with great commitment. If we support each other, look out for each other, and remember that we're all part of a greater community, then we too, will be able to overcome the challenges of our time.