San Dieguito students to raise aid money

By: BEN FRUMIN - Staff Writer | Thursday, January 6, 2005 11:36 PM PST ∞

ENCINITAS ---- Students at almost every campus in the San Dieguito Union High School District are raising money this month to donate to relief groups helping people devastated and displaced by tsunamis in the Indian Ocean.

"Every little bit helps," said Laura Cuccaro, a ninth-grader at Canyon Crest Academy in Carmel Valley, in a phone interview Thursday. "You're never too young or too small to help."

Canyon Crest is one of several campuses in the award-winning district, which serves nearly 12,000 students at 10 middle and high schools from south Carlsbad to Carmel Valley, that plan to have donation drives this month.

Students at Oak Crest Middle School in Encinitas will patrol the student drop-off area with donation buckets this morning, said Student Government Director Bryan Marcus, adding that teens had campaigned this week to get each of the school's 972 students to donate $1.

About 150 donation jars will be placed in classrooms and offices at La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad next week, with proceeds going to the Red Cross, said Lauren MacManus, student government director. Similar donation drives are being planned at Diegueno Middle School, San Dieguito Academy, and Earl Warren Middle School.

Students said Thursday that they would be happy to fork over their lunch money, spare change, hourly wages from after-school jobs, or even dip into their savings, to help those in need.

"These people need our help," said Jordan Gates, a 10th-grader at La Costa Canyon. "It's a tragedy."

Many students said the devastation caused by the tsunamis had put their privileged lifestyles into perspective.

"We're really lucky," said La Costa Canyon 10th-grader Tim Gaffney. "We've really been blessed."

Educators said the humanitarian crisis has been deeply felt at San Dieguito Academy, where many surf-loving students are familiar with ravaged Indonesian islands that were world-renowned surf spots before the tsunami.

"We've heard of these waves, and we probably know people who travelled there," said San Dieguito 10th-grader Ryan Burch.

At Carmel Valley Middle School, seventh-grader Christina Issa is spearheading a donation drive that bagged about $50 in its first day, Principal Mary Bess Holloway said.

Holloway said Christina set up a table during lunch Wednesday, and asked students to put donations in a 5-gallon water jug, which Holloway said was one-quarter full of folded bills after just one day of fund-raising.

"The kids are bringing in money," Holloway said. "I'm really proud of (Christina), that she took the initiative to do it."

Christina's charity drive isn't the first at the middle school, Holloway said. Students raised thousands of dollars for fire victims in 2003 and $350 for Sudanese refugees last month.

Contact staff writer Ben Frumin at (760) 943-2313 or bfrumin@nctimes.com.

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