For the second year in a row, Valencia High hosts fundraiser to benefit Ugandan Schools

[view:node_ad=5]Students at Valencia High School will launch an Invisible Children assembly Friday, Sept. 21. Last year, Valencia High School raised more than $3,000 for Pabbo Secondary School in Northern Uganda and will launch this year’s fundraising campaign with a Party 4 Peace, also on Sept. 21.

The assembly, which is optional for all Valencia classes, will feature the Invisible Children Road Team. Upper grades will see the new IC media about the current displacement and shaky peace talks in Northern Uganda as well as footage about IC’s impact on the U.S. Congress this summer. Lower grades will see the abbreviated Invisible Children film about the night commuters and child soldiers in Northern Uganda. 

The assembly will kick off Valencia’s Schools 4 Schools fall campaign to adopt a sister school in Northern Uganda by providing financial assistance. Last year, the Vikings joined with more than 500 others schools across the nation to raise more than $1.2 million in 100 days to rebuild Northern Ugandan schools.

The Party 4 Peace event the same evening is being staged as a family-friendly carnival-style party with prize drawings, food, a bounce house, carnival booths, a disk jockey, contests, piñata, face painting by Valencia art student Isaiah Montoya, a T-shirt making booth and more. The event starts at 6 p.m. in the school multipurpose room and carries a $2 admission charge.

Members of the IC Road Team will be there with more Invisible Children materials.

“It will be a fun and thoughtful way to spend an evening, enjoying our family and friends while considering the great needs of others,” commented Jennene Margrave, faculty advisor for the Valencia High School’s ICU club. “In light of our prosperity, perhaps we also have our own role to play in the welfare of others, Thank you for caring about these children who can’t help themselves!”

The Valencia club adopted its name, ICU, as an abbreviation of Invisible Children of Uganda. It also translates as “I see you,” the club’s response to the Invisible Children campaign.

ICU officers include senior Alli Tamboline, president; sophomore Amelia Shelton, vice president; Robert Santilli, Rafael Ollervides and Tara Harirchi, core leaders. Margrave and Sam Neylan are faculty advisors for the group.