Students Fundraise to Renovate a Children’s Library in Rocinha

This year Club members, under the coordination of 12th graders Natalia, Marcia and Victoria, have embarked on a particularly ambitious project – the renovation of the Centro Comunitário da Rocinha library. Our students are developing many important skills in this complex process, including learning to: coordinate the communication between the head of the Centro and SOS; develop materials and speeches to present their project to potential donors; work with school personnel, especially our Activities Director, Ms. Annette, and Ms. McDonough, SOS Advisor, to ensure that the fundraising events are well-organized; and to request quotes from suppliers to order material.  These are all very important skills that will develop our students’ self-confidence, initiative, and ability to work as a team, not to mention cultivate a significant vision of the importance of volunteering to help those who are less fortunate.  All this, while juggling a very demanding schedule.

So far, SOS club members have earned high grades. During an innovative fundraiser, which included a concert and information session, they showed a movie about the project that they produced, had the head of the Centro explain the importance of the initiative and brought renowned pianist Nivaldo Tavares to play a repertoire of classical and contemporary music.  The event brought down the house and SOS raised almost R$7000!

The next day, SOS presented their project to Dr. Camila Alire, President of the American Library Association, which is the largest and oldest association of this type in the world.  Dr. Alire, who was in Brazil on a lecture tour, was very impressed with project and was particularly moved by the students’ vision and poise.  She has promised a donation.

SOS Club members still have a way to go, as they aim to raise R$12,600 in order to carry out the necessary remodeling of walls and windows, the purchase of furniture, painting the walls, buying books and all other materials needed to transform their room into a comfortable, inspiring library, modeled on the ones they enjoy at Escola Americana. This project is a very worthwhile one, in terms of helping our neighbors and our students growth.  EA families who would like to make a donation, may  contact Annette.dam@earj.com.br.