Libertyville school supports piggery project

Highland Middle School students, teachers and parents are working together this year to support a piggery that will feed students attending a school in Uganda.

For the first time in the school’s history, staff and students will work together to raise about $10,000 to build, supply and support a piggery through the Cove Alliance, which helps orphaned and disadvantaged children in Uganda. The piggery will help feed students in a school in the town of Kapeeka.

“This project offers a unique opportunity for global awareness with our students,” said Highland Middle School Principal Jon Hallmark. “With this, we can help them discover there’s a bigger place out there than Libertyville.”

In a community that is very civic minded like Libertyville, there is always a fundraiser somewhere. But, too often, he said, students are donating for projects and events without knowing what they are donating for.

“A majority of students in Uganda have to walk to school, leaving home at 5:30 in the morning,” Hallmark said.

The project was selected last year by former Highland Principal Sharon Aspinall, who learned that Vernon Hills High School partnered with Cove Alliance to help build the school in Kapeeka.

“Students there eat meat once a year on Christmas,” Hallmark said. “With a piggery, we hope to get more protein into their diet.”

The school kicked off the fundraiser Friday, Jan. 27, with a staff talent show at Rockland School. A student talent show later in the school year also will contribute to the fundraiser, Hallmark said.

Aside from raising funds for the piggery, a farm where pigs are bred and kept, teachers are bringing the event to students in the classrooms.

“The teachers are creating teaching opportunities for the students,” Hallmark said. “They are learning about Uganda, about Africa.”

There are “team days,” where seventh grade will focus on learning about Uganda and sixth grade will study the economy with computer simulations of what it’s like to live in poverty.

While the school always has worked on service projects, they have never done one to this extent, Hallmark said.

“The teaching opportunity for this is big, and we know we can make a difference when we focus our energy in one direction.”