[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL RESPONDS TO HURRICANE MITCH

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                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 9, 1999

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share 
with my colleagues the tremendous energy and compassion displayed by a 
group of students from Richmond High School in Richmond, California. 
Seeing the devastation of Hurricane Mitch on the nightly news, these 
students took action and responded. As reported in the following 
article, their efforts brought together the entire Richmond High 
community in the spirit of giving, and the people of both Central 
America and Richmond, California, are better for it.

                   [From the WC Times, Jan. 13, 1999]

                 Richmond High gives loads after storm

                            (By Mary Reiley)

       They collected boxes and boxes of food, clothing and over-
     the-counter medicines for adults and children who survived 
     Hurricane Mitch, which devastated Honduras and Nicaragua in 
     October.
       Students in Richmond High's Alma Latina Club and leadership 
     class collected so many boxes that their large truck could 
     not carry all the donated items to the American Red Cross.
       And it wasn't just the club and class members who 
     contributed items and money.
       Students attending dances, sports and the annual Harvest 
     Festival got in by bringing canned foods.
       Parents brought items on report card night, and staff 
     members loaned their faces so students could pay to throw 
     pies at them.
       Students and staff from Helms Middle School and West Contra 
     Costa Adult Education also gave.
       ``It speaks well of the community that we can come together 
     when there's a need,'' said Isidora Martinez-McAfee.
       She sponsors the Alma Latina Club and is the bilingual U.S. 
     history and government teacher.
       Most of the students in her classes and the club are from 
     Mexico or Central America, Martinez-McAfee said, so they felt 
     a connection to the hurricane victims.
       When the club decided to send items from its annual canned 
     food drive to Hurricane Mitch survivors, the leadership class 
     rallied the student body to participate, said senior Maria 
     Miranda, 18.
       She is a member of the leadership class and the student 
     body's school board representative.
       Everyone enrolled in social science classes at the school, 
     grades nine through 12, is required to complete at least 15 
     hours of community service.
       Membership in the leadership class and Alma Latina is not 
     required.
       Kia Yancy, 17, and a senior said she would still have 
     become involved if there were no service rule.
       ``Richmond High did a good deed,'' Kia said.
       ``We were looking out for the people in Central America.''
       The leadership class member said it and the club worked 
     together, collecting, bagging and boxing the goods and 
     loading them on the truck at 7:30 a.m. Friday.
       They gathered enough to fill more than half a classroom 
     with items, she said. Everything was delivered to the Red 
     Cross for eventual shipment to Central America.
       Martinez-McAfee said the students are happy with the 
     donations, but some are disappointed about reported delays in 
     delivery.
       ``We hope it gets to where it's supposed to be going,'' 
     Maria said. ``We wanted to help.''
       The effort was worthwhile for students because it unified 
     and helped show what is outside of school, Maria said.
       ``It gave them a sense of what's going on in the world, and 
     it's healthy for the mind, too.'' she said.
       Nancy Ivey teaches the leadership class, plus social 
     science and wood shop.
       She sees the students' efforts as a demonstration of one 
     more way they set goals and achieve them.
       ``The students feel the school has a negative and false 
     reputation,'' Ivey said.
       Farm Saephan, 16, junior class treasurer and member of the 
     leadership class said, ``We're doing whatever we can to help 
     people in need. It made us feel good about ourselves. The 
     people (in Central America) and in need more than we are 
     here.''

     

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