Helping Rebuild School Destroyed By
Hurricane
Cal State Fullerton’s Reading
Department has set up a fundraising and book donation campaign
to help rebuild the Louisiana school library
September 28, 2006 :: No. 29
When Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans, all the
portable classrooms at Lake Forest Montessori School flooded,
floated miles away, flipped over and crashed.
“We lost
everything,” said Mardele S. Early, principal of the school, which was
completely destroyed. “The whole area was devastated. I lost my home
and all the teachers lost their homes, but we got together over the summer
and opened Lake Forest Elementary Charter School this fall with an enrollment
of 350 students.”
While the school
site, which is being leased from the state of Louisiana, comes with buildings
and some tables and chairs, there is no library. Books and classroom supplies
are badly needed, Mardele said.
That’s why
Cal State Fullerton’s Reading Department set up a fundraising and book
donation campaign. About $1,500 has been raised so far.
“We are
deeply concerned about the children and schools impacted by the hurricane,” said
JoAnn Carter-Wells, professor of reading. “They are in dire need.”
She said the money
raised will buy books for the schools. Other school supplies will be donated,
as well as copies of the booklet “Helping Children Deal With Stress Through
Literature and Literacy Activities” by Barbara Clark, a lecturer in the
Reading Department; Janice Crick, assistant professor of reading; and Fullerton
resident Julie Petersen, a graduate assistant majoring in education with a
concentration in reading.
“We are
eternally grateful,” said Early. “What we’ve learned living
through the hurricane and its aftermath is that people in America really do
care. The books and supplies from Cal State Fullerton will be a huge help.”
Interested donors
may send checks to Literacy Project Katrina, c/o Reading Department, Room 190
of the Education-Classroom Building, P.O. Box 6868, Fullerton, CA 92834-6868.
# # #
Media Contacts: |
JoAnn Carter-Wells, 657-278-3357, jcarterwells@fullerton.edu
Mimi Ko Cruz, Public Affairs, 657-278-7586 or mkocruz@fullerton.edu |
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