MYCP - Monroe Youth Challenge Program

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Red Cross Recognizes Plantation Key School Students as ‘Advocates of Month’

ISLAMORADA, Fla. (763 words) – Plantation Key Middle School (PKS) students were honored by the American Red Cross Measles Initiative as “Advocates of the Month” for June with a full article on their web site and in their international newsletters. The seventh and eighth-grade students wrote and illustrated an original, full-color children’s book entitled “Have No Fear Walk with Me.” Proceeds from the sale of the book and other campaign efforts raised $1,500 – enough to save 1,500 lives.

PKS held a book signing event in May organized by Donna Brinkman and Joanne Dunn, faculty coordinators of the project. Dunn said, “It was a very humbling and proud moment to watch our students at the book signing. This was a great project and made me realize even more how fortunate we are to live in this great country.”

Photo Credit: MYCP
Standing with students are PKS Counselor Joanne Dunn, MYCP District Prevention Coordinator Michele Sutter, and PKS Character Education Teacher Donna Brinkman all part of the team to be honored as “Advocates of the Month” by the Red Cross Measles Initiative. Students from left to right are Reid Bremble, Katie McCormick, Shanna Morehouse, Deni Paquette, Alexys Ramos, Ryan Ramos, and Thompson Clarke. (Photo credit: Grace Connors/American Red Cross)

All proceeds of the book sales benefit the American Red Cross (ARC) Measles Initiative. In a first-time event they sold 50 books at $10 each. In language suitable for young children with colorful pictures of Africa’s landscape and wild life, the story illustrates how two children receive measles vaccinations from a Red Cross volunteer and the role of the Red Cross to reduce measles in Africa.

Monroe Youth Challenge Program (MYCP), initiated a $1,000 Monroe County Service Learning mini-grant that made the book project possible. Student Author Michaela Walters said, “It was a great opportunity to help others. It was fun.” Her comments illustrate an initiative of MYCP which is to provide support to teachers in grant writing, community connection, and hands-on class room support to make learning fun through service learning grants. MYCP District Prevention Coordinator Michele Sutter said, “After our annual review and planning session we set a goal to do more service learning projects like this – but of any interest in any Monroe County School -- as long as the money is available this coming school year.”

In addition to the article about this project posted on the Measles Initiatve web site articles were placed in ARC youth and international newsletters. Also Grace Connors, Branch Office Coordinator American Red Cross of Greater Miami & the Keys/Upper Keys Branch Office, was a guest speaker on a monthly teleconference with ARC directors nationwide. “Two other chapters have requested the book as a result,” said Sutter. Connors said, “This service project helped further the mission and fundamental principles of the Red Cross by touching lives nationwide and around the world. By engaging young people, the Red Cross can do what we are already doing in terms of delivering valuable services and programs to the community, only do it better by involving our youth.”

Lily C. Jones from Washington, D.C. is outreach coordinator of ARC International Services. She spoke at a national conference on youth development in May and did a presentation on the book. Jones said, “The children’s book is absolutely wonderful,” and went on to recognize Sutter for her, “hard work and energy spent on this project…and of course the excellent book.”

Sutter said, “I knew Red Cross National Headquarters was interested in our project as an idea other Red Cross chapters could use to raise funds, but I was really surprised to see us recognized as advocates of the month on the Red Cross site. This will allow the project to continue to save lives.”

Student authors of the book are Reid Bremble, Samantha Eastwood, Ty Schildts, Kasem Todd, Michaela Walters, Samantha-Jo Wood-Greer. Student illustrators are Morgan Beaton, Sarah Blackwell, Thompson Clarke, Zachary Clarke, Dylan Conn, Kyia Herlth, Zoe Koval, Savannah Koval, Nicole LaMorte, Valentin Leguiset, Megan Matthews, Katie McCormick, DJ Mills, Shanna Morehouse, Deni Paquette, Briauna Purdo, Alexys Ramos, Yaritza Reyes, Zoe Sieber, and Tyler Webb.

The Measles Initiative is a partnership committed to reducing measles deaths globally. Launched in 2001, the Initiative—led by the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and World Health Organization—provides support to governments and communities on measles vaccination campaigns around the world. To date, the Initiative has supported the vaccination of more than 372 million children, mostly in Africa.

MYCP is a project of the Monroe County Education Foundation to foster acceptance, respect, and success in the youth of Monroe County. This Measles Initiative was a Florida Learn and Serve Project. To save a life with $1 or purchase a book, contact Grace Connors at (305) 852-9612 or connorsg@usa.redcross.org. To read the full article by Red Cross Measles Initiative reporter Jamie Mazzurco, go to http://www.redcross.org/article/0,1072,0_283_6756,00.html For more information on how to apply for a service learning grant contact Michele Sutter at (305) 852-1664.