Raise Money Right Winners!
This year, to launch our Raise Money Right program, CRS created contests that rewarded learning about and selling Fair Trade chocolate. We are very excited that all over the country teachers taught about Fair Trade and students used Divine chocolate to raise money for worthy projects. We thank our partners at Fair Trade Sports, Peace Coffee, Divine Chocolate and A Greater Gift for donating excellent prizes, and we are very proud of the winners:
By selling the most Divine small chocolate bars since Halloween, Steven White, a high school senior at Central High School in Miami, Florida won the top prize — a trip to Ghana this summer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. Steve will meet members of the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa cooperative who grow the cocoa beans used in the delicious Divine Fair Trade chocolate bars marketed by CRS. He will also observe CRS development projects in the West African nation. Steven was committed to Fair Trade chocolate efforts even before the Raise Money Right contest began. He maintains an informative anti-povtery website and plans to study to be an economist when he begins college at MIT next year.
Lily Higgins, from Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho won the second prize for selling the most chocolate — two sets of sports equipment from Fair Trade Sports. Third prize is being shared by two students from Holy Name Academy in Seattle, Washington who were responsible for selling dozens of candy bars school-wide. Laura Regimbal and Meg Rosenfeld will share 12 cartons of CRS Fair Trade Chocolate. Laura and Meg offered to recycle their winnings by donating the chocolate to their school for its fundraising effort next year. The school has plans to sell Divine Fair Trade chocolate in order to raise money for a development project.
The contest started last Halloween and concluded on Valentine’s Day 2007. CRS also hosted contests for teachers — to see who could best incorporate the principles of Fair Trade into their lesson plans. Austin native Elizabeth Cole, of the Austin diocese, will join Steve and his mother on the trip to Ghana. Elizabeth designed the most engaging educational project, called "Five Minutes of Fair Trade per Week." Feel free to modify it for your classroom or school!
Lynette Grypp, a teacher at Holy Names Academy in Seattle, Washington won the second prize, sports equipment from Fair Trade Sports. Adding to the success of the contest is news that Ms. Grypp is going to "pay her prize forward" by donating sports equipment to the Durocher House, an educational program in Jonestown, Mississippi.
Elizabeth Dixon, a teacher at Blessed Trinity in Milwaukee, Wisconsin won the third prize, a year’s supply of Fair Trade coffee from Peace Coffee, a CRS Fair Trade partner. She is going to donate the coffee to her local parish.
As these winners demonstrate, there are many ways to be supportive of Fair Trade and practice its principles. Chocolate, in particular, is a great way to interest students in Fair Trade and its relation to Catholic Social Teaching! Fair Trade chocolate fundraising helps students learn how to be make money responsibly and in solidarity with their brothers and sisters overseas.
Start planning now to help Raise Money Right in your school or parish next year!