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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
U School Students Raise Thousands to Grant Wishes for Terminally Ill Kids
It’s the simplest acts of kindness that make the biggest impact. University School of NSU students collected and sold toys, books and music to raise more than $20,000 last year for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This year, they are back on the task. For several weeks, more than 100 fourth grade students have collected a variety of slightly used and new items including stuff animals, novelties, toys and knickknacks from other University School students. The donations were so generous that the storage room is bursting at the seams.
On April 15, the collected items became a part of the annual week long lunchtime sale inside the school’s cafeteria — known as the Make-A-Wish Lunch Market —where the fourth graders will sell the items to other University School students. When the sale finishes on April 18, the money will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The project, entirely managed by the fourth graders, with the advisory help of teachers and parents, has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the Make-A-Wish Foundation throughout the past 20 years. Last year, the students’ efforts helped grant wishes for four Make-A-Wish children.
“This project not only reinforces the character education we teach our students every day, but it also incorporates a significant educational component,” said Sheila Szikman, a fourth-grade teacher at the University School who helped organize the fundraising drive. “Students learn real life math and business skills including counting money, giving change, and computing sales, expenses and profits.” Because of the success of the University School’s fundraising efforts, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida presented Szikman with the 2012 Sharon Novak Lifelong Ambassador Award.
“Sometimes ‘thank you’ is just not enough,” wrote Norman Wedderburn, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish of Southern Florida in a letter to Szikman. “Your support is truly remarkable and it is time that we recognize your dedication.” The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes to children between the ages of 2 and 18 with life-threatening medial conditions. The concept of “granting wishes” was born in 1980, when a group of individuals helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer. Now, with 69 chapters in the US, the Foundation is the largest wish-granting charity in the world. For more information on Make-A-Wish, please visit www.sfla.wish.org
For more information about the University School at NSU’s Make-A-Wish Lunch Market, please contact Stacey Gonzalez at 954-262-4452.