The World of Difference club at Shaker High School strives to live up to its name.
“I think it gives students a sense of responsibility, a sense of empathy to really know what’s going on throughout the world and kind of give the best within themselves to accomplish good things,” said Daniel Weaver, social studies teacher and club advisor.
When Weaver started the club 12 years ago, he never imagined what it would grow into.
“I wanted to have my students have the opportunity to make a difference in their community at school. … It’s grown a great deal,” said Weaver. “We’ve been involved with our annual Veteran’s Day celebration, that’s our core event in the fall, and it has grown to include other outreach programs such as humanitarian efforts, community organizations like Make a Wish Foundation, Ronald McDonald House.”
The club’s latest effort was a major undertaking and stretched far beyond the high school hallways. “Give Change, Make Change” collected money to support two organizations in Uganda and Haiti.
“It’s been really successful. I haven’t come up with a total dollar amount yet as to how much we raised … but I know there’s a lot more coming in and we’ll still accept donations,” said Weaver, who said students had a fundraising goal of $5,000.
Brian Hickey, a senior, broached the idea of collecting change for Engeye Scholars, an educational initiative attached to the Engeye Health Clinic that helps children attend school in rural Uganda.
“We gained a lot of supporters that wanted to help. … We’ve really had a bunch of different classes from all different grade levels come support. It’s empowering to see that support and I was really excited because I know that money will go directly to helping those kids in Uganda,” said Hickey.
Hickey isn’t just passionate about making a difference in Uganda from afar. He has a personal connection with the country that was forged through a powerful experience.
“A few years ago, there was a girl who came to the U.S. to receive serious burn treatment and I had the opportunity to meet her. … A lot of the families around here realized once she went back it would be hard for her to have opportunities in her life without an education,” said Hickey. “Families came together and started to sponsor her. … I helped sponsor a kid on my own.”
He visited Uganda last summer, which deepened his desire to help and spread awareness.
“There’s just such a contrast if you look at our lifestyle here versus the kids there. … Those kids are so motivated to learn and go to school and receive an education and that’s something we sometimes take for granted here,” said Hickey.
The WOD club took things one step further and became pen pals with Ugandan students, which lets them see the impact “Give Change, Make Change” can make.
“We’ve been writing letters back and forth with the students to expose them to some things in the U.S. and get more insight into their lifestyle,” said Hickey. “Those children get really excited. … We send them pictures and updates and that direct impact and personal connection is great.”
Emily Nicol, also a senior, had an experience similar to Hickey, though it hasn’t yet taken her across the world. She became involved with St. Francis Xavier Orphanage Foundation in Haiti after orphanage founder Esperandieu Cenat attended Siena College and later approached Nicol’s church for help.
“I go to St. Pius to attend church and he really reached out to that community originally,” said Nicol.
She asked Weaver if she could extend the campaign through WOD.
“I think people were really generous and people are really eager to do what they could and realize helping with this was something that was an immediate effect they could have,” said Nicol. “I’m happy kids stepped up and gave their spare change.”
St. Francis Xavier Orphanage houses 10 children who were orphaned after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Cenat provides a home, food, water, clothing and an education to the tune of about $30,000 a year.
“He has been reaching out to people back in the Siena community and Latham community to help with donations,” said Nicol. “He’s been working on trying to improve the orphanage, get solar panels there, building a new well in town and providing a good future for these kids that lost everything in the earthquake.”
Nicol said raising money through “Give Change, Make Change” gave WOD club members and the entire school community a good lesson.
“It brings a certain level of awareness to kids about dire situations across the world and I think raises awareness about how we can help out,” said Nicol.
Kaitlyn Cheney is a senior but joined the club in ninth grade and now serves as a co-chair.
“I’ve always been interested in community service … so that was a big draw,” said Cheney, who was in charge of setting up donation sites around school for “Give Change, Make Change.”
Cheney said initiatives the club orchestrates to support the local community are just as important as supporting global neighbors.
“(It’s) important to show the difference we can make in our own community,” said Cheney. “At the end of March we’re involved in anti-bullying week as part of a school-wide initiative.”
For more information about World of Difference club or the organizations benefiting “Give Change, Make Change” visit www.shakerwod.org. Donations can be sent to Shaker High School World of Difference Club ATTN: Mr. Daniel Weaver, 445 Watervliet-Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110 with checks payable to “Shaker High School World of Difference Club” and a note designating the ca
