Hoffman student leads effort to raise $8K for Haiti quake victims

Maybe Hoffman Estates High School senior Danielle Wilson should clean more often.

Seeing Haitian earthquake victims suffer on television concerned her, particularly the story of three children who were left orphaned when their parents were killed.

But it was while vacuuming that she came up with the idea to raise money for quake victims - an effort which produced more than $8,500 for the American Red Cross, eclipsing the goal of $5,000.

Wilson teamed up with her younger sister Cheri and friend Isabelle Ezra to sell Valentine's Day-inspired 3-inch hearts to cover the walls of the school's front foyer. More than 2,000 hearts were sold. And senior Gabriel Briceno designed a T-shirt, with help from juniors Franco Fumagalli and Charlie Plaia. In the end 500 shirts were sold.

The effort reached a crescendo on Feb. 19 at the "Hope Takes Flight: Hawks for Haiti" talent show inside the school's gym. Student musical and dance performances highlighted the night. Almost 700 attended.

"It was an amazing night," Hoffman Estates High School Activity Director Jim Britton said.

Britton said the efforts of Wilson, the other students and teachers were inspiring and made a difference.