May 6, 2010  - It has been nearly four months since the devastating earthquake in Haiti occurred and yet students at Shaker High School are continuing to raise money to this day in a variety of ways.

“They (the students) really have been great working together to come up with new and innovative ways to raise money,” Shaker High School principal Mr. Richard Murphy said.

After the earthquake in Haiti, Shaker High School teaching assistant, Ms. Norma Jean-Pierre, whose husband was born in Haiti and is currently the co-advisor of the Haitian Student Association at the University at Albany, spoke to Mr. Murphy and the rest of the North Colonie building principals about the possible ways the district could help. The University at Albany announced that they would match any donation made to Haiti from any school in the Capital Region. North Colonie would be donating through three organizations tied with raising money for Haiti; Partners in Health, Bush-Clinton Haiti Fund and Yele, rapper Wyclef Jean’s Haiti relief organization.

Immediately after Ms. Jean-Pierre’s request, fund raising ideas began to flow and donations started to tally. The Shaker High School New Global Citizens Club collected change in English homerooms for a two-week period and raised over $900. In Boght Hills, students launched two separate campaigns, Hearts for Haiti and Share Your Soles, a shoe drive for the citizens of Haiti. The Latham Ridge Kindness and Caring club also pitched in, packaging supply kits of every day necessities. Recently, the Tri-M Music Honor Society held “Harmony for Haiti”, a benefit concert that raised over $1,000. In total, Shaker High School alone has raised nearly $2,500 in donations for Haiti.

“The students have been great,” Jean-Pierre said. “They all want to participate and help and all came with different ideas. They brought a lot to the table and the results speak for themselves.”