Submitted by Maggie Lohmann

 

Many are familiar with the tune “Old McDonald,” but this week it could be said that Bridgeport High School will “[have] a farm” of their very own as BHS students and faculty join together to help provide for and improve the lives of individuals around the world.

 

Last Tuesday, December 2, was the start of the school-wide “12 Days of Christmas” project sponsored by Student Council. Every two days, a different charity will be supported until students depart for break. Tuesday and Wednesday involved the collection of spare change and monetary donations. A total of $336.29 was collected to donate to United Way charities in Harrison County. Thursday and Friday donations of canned food for the Clarksburg Mission were the items of choice. However, on Monday, December 8 and Tuesday, December 9, a new idea will be the focus of the 12 Days campaign—supporting the Heifer International Organization.

 

Heifer International was founded by Dan West nearly 70 years ago after going to the front lines of the Spanish Civil War to serve as an aid worker. While there, he came up with an idea to end world hunger and poverty. The organization’s goal is to link communities and bring sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a prolonged history of poverty. Through donations, they achieve this by providing families throughout the world with livestock, improved technology, training, and sometimes even tuition for school. Stability is achieved through what Heifer calls “Passing on the Gift.” Families share training they receive, and pass on the first female offspring of their livestock to another family. This ensures that the gift keeps on giving.

 

BHS students will have the opportunity to provide families with a life-changing gift this week by collaborating with others to buy shares of animals including goats, rabbits, chickens, or pigs. Shares can be bought between friends, lunch tables, and classrooms or as an individual as well. All those who make a purchase will have their name written on a die-cutout of the animal they purchased and put on a wall for the school to see.

 

Chairing the days dedicated to Heifer are juniors Molly Layne and Kyleigh Church. The idea for this project initially stemmed from Layne. “The gift catalog came in my mail and I thought it would be interesting to do something different,” she said.

 

Both Church and Layne voiced that they were excited about the fact that this is a project that can be enjoyed with friends and classmates.

 

Student Council advisor, Cheryl McCarthy said “the students seem to be excited and behind supporting the project. Classrooms and homerooms are pulling together for shares or whole animals.”

 

McCarthy’s chemistry classes are doing just this—one class hoping to purchase a water buffalo and another a goat. The staff is also coming together to make a large purchase of a cow.

As for the overall goal of the project, McCarthy said “We’re hoping to be able to buy as many animals as we can and help make a difference.”  

 

Students will round out the giving campaign making donations of hygiene items on December 10 and 11; gloves, hats, and scarves on December 12 and 15; and gently-worn clothing on December 16 and 17.  These will benefit organizations throughout Harrison County.

 

Editor's Note: In photo, Leigh Hornor is purchasing a chick and Molly Layne is taking the money. Kyleigh Church is recording the information.This is a submitted work from a student in Bridgeport High School's Journalism course taught by Alice Rowe. This was not an assignment given by Connect-Bridgeport.com.