More Than They Imagined

Students at Libertyville High School in Illinois celebrate their fundraising success.

With passion, creativity and teamwork, the students of Libertyville High School in Libertyville, Illinois have accomplished more than they imagined was possible in the fall. Their original goal was to raise $6,000 to build a school in Kenya. They met their goal quickly, passing it with so much momentum that it was just a blur.

Alice Leafblad, a teacher at this public high school with just under 2,000 students, invited Leaders Today’s We Generation! Speaking Tour to address the entire student body. The huge assembly kicked off Libertyville’s school-wide fundraising campaign to build a school Kenya through the Adopt a Village Brick by Brick Schoolbuilding project. With stories of children in Kenya and the power of youth, the event was underway.

Based on a community action model already in use at Libertyville, third period classrooms came together to work toward their collective goal. Each class was responsible for organizing a fundraiser and they could fundraise in whatever way they wanted. One of the most popular parts of the project was the super cool T-shirts designed by a Libertyville student. Not only were the T-shirts a visual symbol of everyone coming together, but they were a fundraising incentive, only being given to students who raised $75 or more.

Teachers and students alike made learning about children’s rights issues a key part of the project. Each month, time set aside for character development was devoted to community service and showing compassion through action. The third period teachers used Adopt a Village as a springboard to discuss current events and social issues related to Africa, noting the “teachable moments” that the project created.

By the end of the school year, Libertyville had met its original fundraising goal and far surpassed it, raising more than $49,000. They decided to adopt an entire village in Kenya, supporting the following Adopt a Village projects and items:

• Brick by Brick Schoolbuilding project: Building a school, furnishing it and providing the teacher’s salary and housing. Supplying textbooks, school supplies for each student and a nutritious lunch program.
• Alternative Income project: Providing families with a goat or cow (so they can sell the milk) and giving women sewing machines.
• Clean Water project: Building a community well, providing health kits and building washrooms.

Libertyville High School held a closing ceremony to celebrate their many successes, welcoming a number of newspaper reporters into their school to cover the event. One can only imagine what they will accomplish next year.

Adopt a Village this summer
Learn more about Kenya
Invite the We Generation! tour to your school

Free The Children is the largest network of children helping children through education in the world, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.