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Eighth Grade Volunteer Raises Funds for Hurricane Relief
Karuna Dewan and Justin Lam, Special to Redcross.org
Friday, November 04, 2005 — Jessica Berggrun, an eighth grader and the Student Body President at Northwest Middle School in Travelers Rest in South Carolina, began volunteering two years ago when only 11 years old.
Jessica Berggrun (center) with her school principal Lee Givins (right) presents Genean Berggrun (left), Upstate SC chapter youth services specialist, with a check for $3,628 to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims.
(Photo Credit: American Red Cross)
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Jessica participates in the American Red Cross club at her school, known as the Red Cross Youth Organization, and in the Upstate South Carolina Chapter’s Youth Council as its Treasurer.
When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast this past August, Jessica felt compelled to help. She motivated local donors by stirring competition between two rival middle schools, with support from the principals and staff of Northwest Middle and Blue Ridge Middle Schools.
For five days Jessica walked amid fellow students each lunch period while shaking milk cartons, made daily announcements every morning and afternoon to “give, give, give" and convinced others to donate their soft drink money for disaster victims who had been without water to drink for days. She helped raise almost $10,000 from the two schools.
“Who was the winner? The American Red Cross and all of the disaster victims,” said the Red Cross chapter’s youth director. "Our world will be a better place because of humanitarians like Jessica.”
Karuna Dewan and Justin Lam are with the American Red Cross National Youth Council.
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