Students' ‘Mardi Gras spirit' aids family hit by hurricane

Lounsbury Hollow - Lounsberry Hollow Middle School students “adopted” a New Orleans family displaced by Hurricane Katrina and then staged a “Mardi Gras Spirit Day” Sept. 30 to raise funds to help the family get a fresh start. When it was over, the students, under the direction of Vernoy Paolini, had collected more than $6,200. Students sold Mardi Gras “throw beads” to other students to encourage involvement and participation. For a donation, the students were also given the opportunity to guess the number of beads in a jar. The SCA donated a mini iPod as a prize for the person who guessed the correct number of beads. Daily clues were given to assist the students in their guesses. Faculty and staff joined in with generous donations and bead purchases. To help students better understand the history of Mardi Gras, a Mardi Gras trivia contest was held, with prizes of movie gift certificates. The day began with the students entering the building to the strains of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Students and faculty wore funky hats, beads, and the colors purple, green, and gold -- the official colors of Mardi Gras. Sammantha Dinkins and Nick Weiss were announced as winners of the movie gift certificates for fifth and sixth grade, respectively. Katie DiPietro won the iPod after submitting three guesses, all of which met the criteria of the clues. Using her math skills, she worked through her lunch period and put in her guesses on the last day. Her name was picked in a random drawing from among 14 students who got the correct answer. After the funds were tallied, a small group of students went shopping for the adopted family. The seven-year-old daughter had lost her favorite stuffed animal, a unicorn, in the hurricane and the LHMS students vowed to replace it. The students also purchased gift cards to go along with another gift card and clothing that was sent previously to help the family replace lost clothes. This undertaking has had a positive impact on Lounsberry Hollow students. They have a heightened sensitivity to personal responsibility and a sense of the impact of reaching out to help others. The students are now excitedly organizing a collection for the stranded animals from the Gulf Coast that are being cared for in Sussex County.