The Friends of Rachel Club at Burroughs High School is making a difference by hosting a Coin War fundraiser for UNICEF. The initiative aims to raise funds to support UNICEF’s efforts in providing aid and assistance to children in need around the globe.
The Coin War, scheduled to run for all of April, encourages friendly competition among students and faculty. The rules are simple: each English teacher has a coin jar in their classroom. The goal is to collect as many coins and bills as possible to earn points for your class, with the catch that any silver coins placed in a rival’s container will deduct points from their total. The class with the most points will win a treat!
“You guys should participate – not only is it going to a good cause, but there’s also a little competition mixed in!” said Club President Avery Thibado, a senior. “You have the chance to win treats for your English class, so have fun with it! It’s so easy to make a difference, all it takes is a few coins.”
The Friends of Rachel Club, inspired by the legacy of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, focuses on promoting kindness, compassion, and inclusivity within the school and the wider community.
“The Coin War ties in a lot of what Friends of Rachel values. We are supporting a nonpartisan organization that improves lives around the world, just like we try to improve lives around our campus in a non-biased, kind way,” said Thibado. “We also are fostering a sense of community and friendly competition – its important to feel connected and like you are making an impact around school, so making it a contest enables people to work together and get involved.”
UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, works tirelessly to provide health care, clean water, nutrition, education, and emergency relief to children in over 190 countries and territories.
“I hope that our efforts raise money,” said Thibado. “Even if it doesn’t turn out to be a lot, it will enable UNICEF to continue to go into countries that need assistance and help get necessary items like vaccines, safe drinking water, and food to children and families there. No impact we make is too small.”
Students and faculty are encouraged to participate in the Coin War and support UNICEF’s mission of helping children in need, making a difference one coin at a time.
To join Friends of Rachel and make an impact, come to room L-30 on Thursday for meetings.
