Make+a+difference

media type="custom" key="6927041" align="center"

media type="custom" key="6927001" align="center" = Kids Can Make A Difference =

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Year 6 student, Ryan of Rotokawa School is making a huge effort to help quake victims in Christchurch. He has arranged a fundraising day at his school (Rotokawa Primary) and has promoted this by going to a radio station at 7:30am to talk about his plans and challenge other schools to do the same. =====

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Ryan thought a pyjama day and coin trail would be good because the earthquake happened in the middle of the night and many people were left with nothing more than their pjs. The coin trail will allow everyone to contribute by donating their change to help. The Red Cross will collect the money and make sure it goes to the places it is need most. =====

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Kids have gotten in behind him to help. his class have made posters to promote the event and students have started collecting donations for friends and family to bring along on the day. Two girls in his class have collected over $160 from their family and friends and have given it to the principal for safe keeping until Friday. One parent who is a teacher aide at the school has donated over $60 in coins to help start the coin trail off. =====

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Wouldn't it be wonderful if all schools could hold a pyjama day and coin trail this Friday and see how much we can all raise together. Ryan is one kid who is showing the world that kids can make a difference. Well done Ryan! =====

Below is a copy of the newspaper article that was published last week in our local newspaper The Daily Post. Ryan contacted them himself and asked them for help to put the challenge out to other schools.

=PJ challenge to aid quake victims= =[|Abigail Hartevelt] | 8th September 2010= When Rotokawa School pupil Ryan Kelly saw the devastation of the 7.1 earthquake in Canterbury he was quick to think up ways he could help.

He is organising a pyjama day at his school for next Friday. Every pupil will be able to wear their pyjamas to school in exchange for a donation, the proceeds of which will be donated to Red Cross for earthquake victims in Christchurch.

Ryan, 10, came up with a raft of ideas but after discussing them with his principal Briar Stewart they settled on a pyjama day.

Ryan is challenging every other school in Rotorua to have a pyjama day as a fundraiser for victims. "He has sent out a challenge [to each school] to raise $300. Ryan has worked out that if every school in Rotorua raised $300 then that would be $6900," Ms Stewart said.

Ryan said he wanted to organise the fundraiser after seeing the huge impact the earthquake had on the second largest city in New Zealand.

Ryan said his other ideas included taking a collection at Rotorua Airport, having a walkathon, making and selling lemonade or holding a raffle.

His teacher had told him he could choose someone to help him organise the fundraiser and he chose his good friend Anahera Hunter, 10, who had asked if he could help.

Rotorua Principals' Association president Colin Watkins said he planned to discuss fundraising with members of the association's executive at its meeting next week.

Meanwhile, Rotorua's Red Cross administrator Julie Forrest said she had been humbled by donations, with some people donating $500 or more.

=﻿Radio Interview - Getting the Challenge Out There= media type="youtube" key="6SVSPJ5v2eY?fs=1" height="385" width="640" align="center"

Anyone closer to the heart of the earthquake may also be interested in either logging a request for help or responding to a request for help. For more, go to How can you help? in this wiki.