Libertyville elementary district raises almost $15,000 for school in Haiti

In just 30 days, Libertyville Elementary District 70 students, teachers and parents collected almost $15,000 to help a school in Port-au-Prince Haiti that was damaged during an earthquake.

The district presented a check for $14,800 to Haitian native and school founder Ruth Paul Caudle during a March 22 board of education meeting. The money goes to The Spirit of Truth School in Guibert, in the province of Kenscoff, Haiti.

Caudle founded the 7-year-old school, which serves about 330 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, but lives in Vernon Hills with her husband, Brian, and their children.

"I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of commitment from our learning community," said Supt. Guy Schumacher. "The focus toward supporting a Haitian school from the children, families and staff of District 70 makes it just that much more special. Our community heard of the despair, saw the pain and worked to provide for others in need.

"Children helping children, what a beautiful lesson that reaches far beyond curriculum and instills life long learning in the classroom and beyond."

The donation was deeply appreciated by Caudle, who said it will help fix the structural damage done to the school during the January earthquake.

"We had engineers look at the school and it does not have to be demolished, but it does need to be repaired," Caudle said when accepting the money from the students. "This will go along way in helping correct the structural damage. Children, I cannot thank you enough. For your kindness and generous hearts. I am so impressed with what you've done."

Caudle said they will use the money to fix the school and to buy tents to protect many homeless families who are facing a monsoon season that is just weeks away. During the ceremony where students presented Caudle with a larger-than-life check, she gave each school a copy of her children's book, "Yvette, Annette and Renette," and a Haitian painting that will be displayed in the Educational Resource Center.

During the inspiring fundraiser, students set up hot chocolate stands in the neighborhood, sold homemade crafts door-to-door and held bake sales. Teachers also pitched in by collecting tents and blankets, along with toiletries, to ship overseas, and donated ticket sale money from a staff talent show to the devastated Haitian school.

In a program called "A Caring Community Helping Haiti," the district's Character Counts Committee set up collection points at each of the district's five schools. Large 5-gallon water jugs were posted at each school to collect loose change for the school.

"The school is for poor children because 99 percent of the schools are private and expensive, which leaves many illiterate," Caudle said. "Our school is the only source of education for many who otherwise would have no access to reading because of poverty."

But after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit nearby, Caudle said they noticed large cracks in the first floor walls. The damage "makes it not possible for any of the classrooms on the upper levels to be used for fear that any extra weight could make it crumble," she said.

The fundraiser was very successful, in part, because children were helping other children, said Dale List, a member of the Character Counts Committee and Rockland School teacher.

"This project was all about children helping children," List noted. "The children in District 70 were able to see pictures of the children who attend the Spirit of Truth School. Once the children saw the pictures and heard the stories they became "unstoppable!" The children in District 70 definitely have shown that Character does count in Libertyville! Thank you to all the parents who listened to and supported their children in this Caring Community Helping Haiti Project!"