High School Students Raise $6K for Japan

students recently raised $6,050 for the American Red Cross Japan earthquake and tsunami relief fund.

The effort was spearheaded by Josh Ehrlich, treasurer of the student body, and star player on the Coyotes baseball team. He organized a homeroom contest to help raise money.

“I knew people would donate, but I never thought it would be that much money,” said Ehrlich. “There were several times when I thought that we were done, but then the next morning I would come to school and there would be a few more checks. Of course, I was very happy.”

This isn’t the first time Ehrlich has organized a successful fundraiser. Last year, he was involved in a campaign for victims of the earthquake in Haiti, and managed to raise $3,500 from students and families. 

“I thought people weren’t as aware about Japan as they were about Haiti, but the amount of money we raised was amazing,” said Ehrlich.

To make the campaign more effective, he wrote speeches that students delivered to their homerooms to inspire donations.

“I had Principal [C.J.] Foss do a weekly dial-in on Fridays, when she called the students’ homes and left a message about donating, we had announcements on the loudspeakers about the fundraising project, and the homerooms had a contest where the team that raised the most money would get a party,” Ehrlich said.

Last week, Greg Cherry, a representative of the Red Cross, visited the school and presented students with a plaque in recognition of their hard work.

“We’re not just one of those schools that have trouble,” said Ehrlich, referring to a at the campus. “Our students also have very good aspects to them.”