The Crisis in Haiti - What Can YOU Do to Help

On Friday, February 19, 2010 Edina Elementary students and educators participated in a ground-breaking three-hour virtual event called “The Crisis in Haiti: What Can YOU Do to Help?” This unique live program featured presentations from students around the world via high-speed videoconference, along with scientists and agency representatives from federal and non-profit organizations worldwide all focused on what can still be done to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Edina Public Schools was uniquely selected to participate in this exciting event. Edina students from Highlands and Concord Elementary shared the district wide efforts that students have been making in helping the survivors of the Haitian earthquake. Edina students have been working with an organization called ImpactLives. Students at many schools have raised money and packaged meals to send to starving kids in Haiti. ImpactLives is an organization that facilitates transformation in communities and people through leadership identification, immersive cross-cultural training, and short-term humanitarian efforts. . “The Crisis in Haiti: What Can YOU Do to Help?” project was made available through MAGPI with support from The World Food Program, National Youth Leadership Council, Oxfam America, Philadelphia Global Water Initiative, Global Nomads, The Exploratorium Science Center, Multicultural Youth Exchange, Florida International University, CIARA, University of Porto, the University of Pennsylvania, and Tandberg. The live student presentations ranged in format from musical presentations including 1st grade students in Ponder, Texas singing “Put A Little Love in Your Heart” to student-created digital projects such as the “Sending Love from Taiwan” video created by high school students at National Dali High School in Dali City, Taiwan. Additional student presentations will be given by primary and secondary schools from all corners of the world including Texas, Minnesota, Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Portugal, and Taiwan.