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United States
O Ambassadors at Ridgeview Elementary
O Ambassadors at Ridgeview Elementary School
Photo courtesy of Ridgeview Elementary SchoolThe O Ambassadors at Ridgeview Elementary School in Liberty, Missouri have quite a few reasons to feel successful this year, not the least of which is the $15,000 they raised during the 2007–08 schoolyear. The students have been studying up on West Africa as part of the O Ambassadors program, and the money they raised will go to help fund development projects in that region.
How did a classroom of 5th-graders go about raising so much money in such a short amount of time? Creativity played a big part. The students wrote and illustrated a book and had their work published by a national publisher of student-created books. The O Ambassadors then sold the books at various fundraisers throughout the winter and spring.
Titled “Not on Our Watch” (which is also the club’s name), the book features inspiring testimonials from each student on how the O Ambassadors program has opened their eyes to the world around them, and what life is truly like for their peers in West Africa. The book helps to raise awareness, and also includes pleas to the reader to take a stand, to make change. Read what just a few of the students have to say in these excerpts from the book:
Tanya Take a good look around you … at all of the things we take for granted: food, clothing, health care, clean water. It’s time to help someone!
Cordell O Ambassadors has changed my life and how I think about other people. After learning about the horrible things happening in West Africa, the question is why?
Macy If you think you can’t do anything, think again! One person can make a difference.
Heather Just remember everyone has wishes … especially the children in Africa. They wish for food, water, a place to live, and to be free.
Blake Just think if everyone gave a small portion of their own resources, how quickly poverty would stop!
Sam The disparities between their lives and ours are unimaginable! Where is the equality? Aren’t they the same as us? ... This is not going to happen on our watch!
Leading the O Ambassadors Club at Ridgeview is educator Taylor Hoffmann. In recalling why she decided to apply to form a club at her school, Ms. Hoffmann notes, “I wanted to give the students a purpose outside of themselves, and to build on what we were already studying.”
While Ms. Hoffmann’s 5th graders are the official O Ambassadors at Ridgeview, many students were impacted by the club’s activities throughout the year. When the club was learning about poverty and sharing with different classrooms how little it costs to provide food for people in developing countries, Ms. Hoffmann says that even the young kindergarten students were moved into action, noting many of the younger students would come to her classroom offering up their pennies to help the cause.
Other events like a “read-a-thon” and a silent auction rounded out their fundraising activities for the year, but Ms. Hoffmann notes, “The money raised is second to the incredible education this experience has provided them. They walked into my classroom fine young spirits and they left change makers!”
- 25
Can help buy education and reading materials for an O Ambassador
- 200
Can help buy education and reading materials for an O Ambassadors Club
- 500
Can sponsor an O Ambassador to travel overseas on a volunteer trip
- In just 5 minutes you can help by:
- IDEA 1: At Ridgeview, the O Ambassadors are making a difference by raising awareness. You can do the same. Pick a cause you care about and make a goal to talk to people about it for a week, a month or even a year. Who should you talk to? Everyone—from your family and friends to all the people you come across throughout your day.
