St. Nicholas School Surpasses 1,000 Reading Credits Goal; Donates $1,000 to GiftsforLife

“Enclosed in this letter is a donation from the pre-k-5th grade students of St. Nicholas School in Chattanooga.  It is their wish the money be used in Episcopal Relief & Development’s GiftsforLife program to plant 1000 seedlings in areas that need reforestation,” said the letter to Episcopal Relief & Development

Every year, the school chooses a theme for the school year. For 2014, the theme “For the Beauty of the Earth” provided opportunities for focus on what makes our world beautiful. As students studied the people of the world and their environments, they became of aware of depleted forests and woodlands and the need for reforestation.

To assist in the students’ wish to help, school staff decided to donate a $1,000 gift to Episcopal Relief & Development’s GiftsforLife, if students could reach a school-wide reading goal of 1,000 book credits. The school started a “1000 for 1000” reading program. Each grade had its own credit tabulation process, designed specifically to meet the reading development needs appropriate to each, and students proceeded toward a goal of amassing the 1,000 reading credits in order to plant 1,000 trees.

It was a great reading year! Almost 4,500 books were read to reach the 1,000 credits. By the end of May, students not only had met 1,000 book credits, but had surpassed the expected goal.

A check was sent to Episcopal Relief & Development, along with the school’s thanks for providing an opportunity to make a difference. “Please accept this contribution from the students of St. Nicholas School; we hope it will help make the world more beautiful by planting new trees. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to help,” the letter said.

The gateway to global citizenship starts with awareness and compassion. This fall your parish, school or group can use the Gifts For Life to start the journey by raising money for Episcopal Relief & Development.