Most teens in the area are getting ready to get out of school, but the teens of St. Martin High School are helping other people get in school.
Monday May 12, local teenage rock bands were not only heard inside the St Martin High School gym but also all the way to the hearts of impoverished kids in East Africa.
The ninth grade students of St. Martin High School have taken it upon themselves to raise money to help kids in East Africa have an education by getting their fellow students and community involved. They linked up with an organization called "Global Support Mission," where money is raised to help meet the needs of people in Africa, and organized their first "Battle of the Bands" event.
"Students need a vision they can go for," said Mr. Quinn Erwin, ninth grade English teacher at St. Martin High School, "they need to know that they can make a difference." Mr. Erwin presented his class with this opportunity, and they ran with it. The students are not being graded on it, and all they have done has been on a voluntary basis.
They felt one of the best ways they could get other students involved was through music. When asked why they chose using music, ninth grader Adam Poelma said, "Everyone listens to music and there are a lot of talented kids here at our school." This event gave different students the opportunity to showcase their musical gifts as well as make a difference. "People act on what they hear," said Poelma, "and music can make a real difference."
"Battle of the Bands" offered a variety of music for the students. It involved everything from heavy metal to country and all in between. The students appreciated the variety and had a lot of fun with it. Landon Lawrence, senior and member of the band "Guitar Class Heroes," said "music is fun and keeps us out of trouble." There was a prize offered for the best band, however, Lawrence said "the prize of music is helping others."
With this event and another that they did earlier in the year the students were able to raise an estimated $1800 for the kids in Africa. The cost to send one child to school for a year is $120. This includes their books, supplies, and even a pair shoes. St. Martin High School had a goal to raise enough money to send 45 kids to school for a year, however they raised enough to send twice that amount.
The money that they raised form Battle of the Bands will go 100% to kids in Africa. Global Support Mission Executive Director Travis Gravette, native of the Gulf Coast, said "unlike some organizations like us, we do not take any of the money raised for ourselves, but it goes all to the people who need it in Africa." Gravette said that when the money that St. Martin High School raised is given to the kids in Africa, the students here will receive a picture of the kids as they receive the money.
"We exist to see a movement of compassion wipe-out hunger, disease, and extreme poverty," said Gravette. St. Martin High School students have caught this compassion.
"Students need to see a world beyond their own," said Mr. Erwin, "and these kids get it."
"People always say kids can't do anything," said Courtney Walker, ninth grader, "but we can and we are." St. Martin High School students are learning that not only is their education important but helping others who are less fortunate get an education is important too.
If you would like to learn more about Global Support Mission, go to their website globalsupportmission.com and see how you can get involved too.
I am a freelance writer living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I write for a couple weekly papers in the area, and I recently interviewed America's Got Talent winner Terry Fator for a story in the daily paper here in the area (The Sun Herald). I write features, cover events, and report on such things as City Council meetings and local government activity.
I have a degree in Communications from the University of Southern Mississippi. I am a world traveler and would love to write about various areas of the world. While in college I traveled to places like Wales, England, Italy, and Mexico. After graduating college, I lived in New Zealand for nine months doing Christian mission work with other Americans.
My future plans and goals include a wide variety of activity, however, they all point back to writing. I am planning to get my Master's degree in professional writing and would like to earn it from Roehampton University in London, England. I also plan on writing a book and am currently working on a play. I also hope to write a movie one day. Ideally, I would like to make a living by doing nothing but write. I love to write both creatively and professionally, which is why I am trying to go into professional freelance writing.
I believe if you are not passionate about it, why do it? This is why I am here, and this is why I write.
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