So, after thinking hard about it for about three weeks, I decided to offer extra credit to my World Music students for donating to Nancy's "Charity: Water" campaign. I reasoned that: A) it is a class for students to earn global education credit; B) UVU is all about engagement in learning. I felt that participating in a charity to help people in another part of the world was both global and engaged. So I prepared a lecture about the Central African Republic and its music, and then was going to invite the students to give to the charity AND receive some extra credit.
Wednesday in class, I had barely put the first slide up and started to talk about the CAR and its location in Africa when one of my students came in, a boy about 18 or 19 years old, and instead of sitting down, he walked right up to me and said "Sorry for interrupting, but I can't stay for class today, and my family and I have been gathering money for that water charity, and I have it with me today, so I wanted to give it to you before I forgot. We just want to help." And he pressed a wad of bills into my hand, a ten on the outside. I was expecting something other than what I saw when I really looked at it--this young person had just handed me $150. And I had not even mentioned the possibility of extra credit yet! I was completely flabbergasted, but in a very good way!
I went on to give the lecture, and after class, one student came up to me, so excited. So happy to have something REAL to participate in, instead of just talking about another place in the world. He had already got on the website for Nancy's campaign on his I-phone during class and had donated $20. Another student came up as soon as class was over and said, "Can I just write you a check right now? If I don't I will probably forget, and I really want to help make life better for those people."
When I got the chance to look on the computer myself, I noticed that another student had also posted a donation, probably during class, and he had given two and half times more than the amount that would give him the maximum number of extra credit points I told the class I would be giving for making a donation! These four students, within the space of fifty minutes, donated $230 to the charity! I was so touched, humbled and honored by their generosity and their CARING about others in the world. It was an amazing experience!
1 comment:
That is sooooo neat! And these were students---who you don't think would be willing/able to help, because they are too poor themselves. Giving always feels good.
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