Feel Good Story: GLJHS 8th Grade Students Use Class Project to Raise Over $12K to Support Non-Profit

May 3, 2024
Grand Lakes Junior High 8th Grade Students Use Class Project to Raise Over $12K to Support Non-Profit

Campuses across Tomball ISD place a strong emphasis on giving back. Whether it is through clubs and organizations, through a class project, or through a campus initiative, TISD students are always willing to lend a helping hand when an opportunity is presented to them. 

In this case, at Grand Lakes Junior High, eighth grade students in both Mrs. Traw and Mrs. Stoyak’s classes were presented with a learning opportunity that grew into so much more.

Inspired by the book, The Ultimate Gift, these two educators spearheaded an initiative to empower their students to help other kids. 

“It has always been a mission of mine to incorporate lessons for students to help other students, which brings an intrinsic motivation their sacrifice cannot match,” Stoyak said.

Each student was given $5 which they were asked to multiply. In order to be successful, they had to create a plan, set a goal (both personal and as a class), and execute the plan. Students had two weeks to complete this task. 

Students found unique ways to multiply their money. Some students took the $5 and bought gasoline and then turned around and used the gas to mow lawns that people paid for. One student bought lemonade and cups, set up a lemonade stand at a park and posted a sign he was raising money by selling lemonade. These examples resulted in multiplying the money.

The TAP classes at GLJHS were also tasked with researching non-profit organizations and chose to select Living Water International because it impacts students their age, but will help families for generations to come.

After researching and selecting Living Water International, they contacted them to let them know they would be donating over $12,000 to their non-profit, all raised off of their class project. Living Water International advised the GLJHS students and teachers that they plan to use that money on two projects: a water well in Haiti and to finish a junior high school in Liberia.

“It was important for our students to participate in an initiative like this because it lets them work hard for someone else and to see that they are making a life-long difference at their age is priceless,” said Stoyak. “Many of the students have already said they plan to continue this as a group and many want to go to the well or the school at a later date to meet the people they have impacted.”