(WSB photo, May 2021)
Room 12 at Lafayette Elementary has a request for you: Help them decide which charity should receive the $50 left in their classroom fund. Their teacher, Chelsea Gabzdyl, explained that she gave the students a writing project, to convince her who shold get the money, and, “One idea I had is for their writing pieces to be published on the West Seattle Blog so we can raise even more money and give to many different organizations.” She sent us 12 students’ pitches. If you can spare a few minutes, read them, comment with your thoughts on which case is the most compelling, maybe even consider donating yourself. Here are the students’ writeups, as sent by their teacher:
Zoe’s opinion:
I have Native Americans in my family so I love animals. Help the wildlife by donating money to the Wildlife Conservation Society. Help the animals that need help because of predators. People should not kill animals for fun. Help them please! Donate money to the Wildlife Conservation Society. Help the Wildlife Conservation Society. And more predators the more trees! How long does it take for a sloth to digest its food? One week!
Missy’s opinion:
I think we should do Saint Jude because it helps people like some people are paralyzed. That means: people can’t move a specific part in their body. That’s not good at all. Others have cancer and that’s not good ether because some kids die and we don’t want that to happen at all. If we give the money to Saint Jude because kids all over the world will know they are safe and happy.
Louise’s opinion:
Would you like to help people in need of food because I would and it makes me happy to see people help people. People should have food and water. People also shouldn’t suffer. People shouldn’t starve. I get mad when I see that people are not caring about people.
Jasper’s opinion:
Hi! Do you like animals? Then read on! In my opinion, the money should go to the Wildlife Conservation Society because I think animals should be healthy and safe. First of all they are good for the environment. Secondly, animals are nice! Lastly, they are adorable!!! That’s why I believe that the money should go to the wildlife conservation society!
Alaska’s opinion:
If you like animals then keep reading! I think the Wildlife Conservation Society should get the money because we will all have food, we can see cute animals, and the world will be beautiful.
Walter’s opinion:
We should give the money to the Ronald McDonald House because it can help families. Secondly, they can make money to help families. Last, families take care of babies and if you don’t take care of babies they won’t have a home.
Lucy’s opinion:
I think animals are very special and I want to have more experiences with animals. If you are an animal lover like me keep reading. Help wildlife by donating money to the Wildlife Conservation Society. Help the animals that need help! Mostly the animals that are hurt! Start loving them and stop hating them. People should not kill animals for fun because it is so rude! Would you want that? I wouldn’t. Help them please don’t kill! They don’t deserve it and you wouldn’t either. Animals should live in peace like we want to stop killing and start caring!
Ray’s opinion:
I think we need more animals because we can see new things. I think the Wildlife Conservation Society should get the money because more animals make more food. More animals make more fertilizer and more trees. More trees make more fresh air. Now you see why I feel that we need more animals.
Cora’s opinion:
I think we should give the money to all 10 charities because then all 10 of them get money and more things will be helped because of us. Secondly all 10 charities will be able to help things that otherwise would not. No one would be upset that the money went to the place they did not want because it would go to all 10 charities. That’s why I think we should give the money to all 10 charities.
Lilah’s opinion:
Do you love animals? In my opinion, the money should be donated to the Wildlife Conservation Society for these reasons. The bees are animals they help trees and the trees help us breathe. If there are more animals there will be more food. We love animals and we can hunt if there are more animals to have a balance. When we help it makes us happy. We can do more science! Our Earth will grow! And to sum it up, I love animals.
Trafford’s opinion:
My name is Trafford and this is my opinion about helping people have food. In my opinion, Share Our Strength is a good choice. First of all, my mom had childhood hunger. It can happen in many ways. Kids are not as resilient as adults and are more vulnerable. That’s why I chose share our strength.
Aiden’s opinion:
I think that the money should go to KaBOOM! because they build the playgrounds. Now you can see why Kaboom should get the money.
(We don’t have the list of all 10 charities they’re considering but will add it if and when we get it.)
ADDED 9:30 AM THURSDAY: First, teacher Chelsea just sent two more students’ pitches:
Mikol’s opinion:
Do you like the Seattle Animal Shelter? Well I’m gonna make you like it even more! First of all, if you donate to the Seattle Animal Shelter your donation goes directly to helping staff and volunteers perform life-saving work. Also, if you donate it helps prevent animal homelessness. Lastly, if you donate it helps fix animal cruelty so that’s why we should spend our money on the Seattle Animal Shelter.
Charlee’s opinion (in support of Share Our Strength):
My opinion is to give anything people need especially homeless people. So we can Share Our Strength and we can make a better world when we come together we can help each other get more food and water and medicine. It makes me sad and mad when I see people in need but nobody is helping them.
Second, she says the students have added to the fund – $152 more from “what kids have saved up and brought in themselves!”
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