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Fourth Grade Students Donate to Guinea Village in Africa


Current News Dutchess Day School celebrates diversity and offers a curriculum for students of all ages which highlights other cultures of the world. The school often holds fund-raisers for different causes that represent the school’s philosophy and coincide with the curriculum. In the past year a DDS seventh grader, along with his classmates and school administrators, coordinated a multi-school soccer tournament at the school to raise money for a medical clinic in Ethiopia. This past November a friend of DDS, Mackenzie Pfeifer, came and to the school and met with the fourth graders to discuss her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea. For her presentation, she and her daughter dressed in traditional Guinea clothes, and brought baskets, cloths and other crafts and tools from the village where she spent her time.

This interactive presentation captivated the students’ attention, and led to a discussion amongst the class on how they could do something to support the village. Mackenzie introduced her campaign to gather soccer equipment, as soccer has become a favorite sport of the villagers. As a group they organized a drive to collect as much equipment as possible, from balls to shin guards anything that might be of use. They went one step further by contacting the Athletic Director, Nigel Pink, and requested lightly worn sports jerseys from DDS that could be included in the package sent to Guinea.

By early December a significant collection had been assembled and was brought to Guinea by Mackenzie herself. According to Mackenzie, the villagers were “ecstatic to have them” and subsequently assemble a match the very next day! They have decided to use the blue (away) jerseys for regular games and the white (home) jerseys for a special match. To show their appreciation to the fourth graders at DDS, the villagers gathered for a photo where they all placed a hand over their heart, a symbolic gesture of appreciation.

The cause has clearly left an imprint on the minds of the young students and will undoubtedly motivate them to organize and participate in other philanthropic efforts in the future.

For more information, please contact Hillary Henderson, Director of Development, at henderson@dutchessday.org or at (845) 677-5014.

Dutchess Day School is a co-educational preschool thru grade eight day school, serving Dutchess, Ulster, Litchfield and Columbia Counties. Transportation and financial aid are available.