Pictured above: Rabbi Michael Harvey, Shanique Woods-Boschulte, Capt. Kevin Byran and Mary Ann Brown accept donations from Antilles School students during their “Day of Giving: assembly held Jan. 13 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. More than $3,100 plus 1,000 non perishable food items were gathered and given by students and faculty of Antilles’ middle and upper school.
Photo provided by Judi Shimel.
Upper and middle Antilles School students shared with the needy in tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King. Donations from fundraising were presented during an assembly held in Pryor Jolleck Hall. About 200 students and teachers witnessed the event.
The Charlotte Kimmelman Cancer Institute, the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas, the Salvation Army and Bethlehem House were chosen as recipients. Gifts of between $200 and $1,150 were presented to charity leaders Friday morning.
To benefit the homeless, the Antilles Upper School Student Council raised $317 for Bethlehem House. Another $504 earmarked for the purchase of personal care items was raised by the school’s Rotary Interact Club.
The Antilles National Junior Honor Society donated $380.50 to the Salvation Army. Another gift — 1,000 non perishable food items — was collected and given to Salvation Army as part of the school’s Thanksgiving Food Drive.
The food drive was produced by a collaboration between the Antilles National Honor Society and the junior honor society.
Two-hundred dollars raised by the International Thespian Society to the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas was presented to Rabbi Michael Harvey at the Friday assembly. And $1,150 in fundraising proceeds was turned over CKCI.
Upper School Division Head Marva Bennett said the cancer institute donation was a rough estimate. Students staged a Pink for the Cure dress up day in October, which is observed as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Eighth grade student Maggie Foxsart was one of the project leaders on dress up day. “Middle school student council, they have always done Breast Cancer Awareness month,” she said. “It took a lot to get it organized with dress up day. Then we had to make a video to let people see how important it is to raise money, to be aware of this cause.”
Charitable giving was one of the ways the youth of St. Thomas chose to honor the U.S. civil rights icon during the Martin Luther King federal holiday weekend.
On Friday evening the Hebrew Congregation presented awards to eight outstanding students as part of its annual Martin Luther King Day observance. Harvey said the congregation were pleased to acknowledge in the community they see as future leaders.
