Passing the hat for hurricane victims
Middle school students in the Belle Vernon Area School District recently formed an alliance with a school of a similar name in storm ravaged in New Jersey.
Students in the Bellmar Middle School in Belle Vernon have adopted, as a sister school, Belmar Elementary/Middle School in coastal Belmar, N.J., which was hard hit when Hurricane Sandy struck the region in November.
“Bellmar wanted to let the victims of the hurricane know that they have not been forgotten,” said John Grice, principal of Bellmar Middle School.
Student council members initially conducted a fundraising effort, which would allow the Monmouth Beach School District to purchase school supplies for Belmar Middle School. The school had lost furniture, computers, supplies and more because of heavy flooding following the storm.
Belmar Middle School was not severely damaged structurally, however, the students and their families have been greatly impacted, according to Jennifer Cozzarelli, guidance counselor at Belmar Elementary/Middle School.
“Everyone has lost something,” Cozzarelli said.
She said some of the losses have been great in the town of nearly 5,800 residents. Some families have lost their entire homes while other have suffered minimal loss. However, the boardwalk and coastal playgrounds were completely destroyed.
“These were big meeting places for our families, ” Cozzarelli said. “It has been a big cultural loss for our community.”
Most of the students’ parents in the New Jersey town worked in the restaurant and service-related industry, which was simply devastated by the storm according to Grice.
“So, still, at this time, many have no jobs and their homes are in disrepair, it’s difficult for us to imagine not being able to meet even the most basic of needs,” Grice said.
That led students and faculty at Bellmar to adopt the New Jersey school and to continue hosting ongoing fundraising efforts for region. So far the students have raised $600 and are eager to do more.
Students, teachers and parents recently held a Bellmar-to-Belmar Hat Day fund drive to show their support for the school and community that are recovering from the devastation left behind after Hurricane Sandy.
“Any support is very much appreciated,” said Cozzarelli.
The two schools have also launched a pen pal program. Students at Bellmar are busy composing letters to their New Jersey counterparts in hopes of developing a greater understanding of their needs as well as a friendship.
“(Students) find a quicker connection because of the name,” Cozzarelli said. “Kids are resilient but support is needed and the letters will be helpful. At this point we’re trying to focus on emotional healing.”
Bellmar faculty and students will continue to explore ideas and activities to help the students and families in coastal New Jersey.
“This helps as we continue to look for signs of hope,” said Cozzarelli.