Students at Brentwood Elementary have made a dream come true for Kristopher T., an 11-year-old boy with sickle cell anemia, thanks to their participation in a community-service project with Dreams Come True.
Dreams Come True is a non-profit organization that helps terminally ill children make their dreams a reality, and it was the organization chosen in 2005 by four fourth-grade Brentwood students as a way to give back to children who were less fortunate.
"Our students did research about local organizations that worked with children and decided collectively to choose Dreams Come True," said their teacher Regina Rowan-Thomas, who also coordinates the student committee that works with Dreams Come True.
Once the students chose the organization they wanted to work with, Rowan-Thomas told them to design a business plan that would raise money, and then present it to their principal for approval.
The students decided to make chocolate covered roses for Valentine's Day and sell them to students, faculty members and parents. To market their fundraiser, students made and distributed flyers and posters, and advertised their roses on their school’s news show.
Students stayed after school with Mrs. Rowan-Thomas to make the roses. This year, the roses were so popular that they sold out and students met again to make additional roses. In total, they were able to raise more than $400 for Dreams Come True.
"I never thought selling something like roses would help, but it does," said student Aaron B., who has worked on the project all three years.
Students got to meet Kristopher on May 30 when he visited Brentwood and had lunch with all the participants. Students presented Kristopher with art work and showed him some of their science projects.
During the visit, Kristopher told everyone his dream: to visit Disney World. Thanks to the students at Brentwood and Dreams Come True, Kristopher will be visiting four of the Disney theme parks and Universal Studios.
When asked why this project was important to them, students Carolyn S. and Shakaila B. said that children who are sick should have the opportunity to do something that makes them happy, and they need to know that people care about them.
"Each year, these students work so hard on the Dreams Come True project because they want to give back to others," said Rowan-Thomas. "It really shows how much heart they have."
The students who participated in this year’s project are: Taylor C. and Dominique W. (committee co-chairs); committee members Shakaila B., Tiarre M., Geraldine M., Carolyn S., Melina M., Lakeisha W., Paris B., Asia C., Erin M., Mia M., Armani R., Brianna M., Hayley L., Calyx C., Dante J., Michael H., Aaron B. and Toyea W.; fourth-grade helpers Brittany D., Jasmine M., and Cortez D.; and third-grade helper Julia K.
The students will be keeping in touch with Kristopher, as they have done with the other children they have helped through Dreams Come True.
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