Nearly two tons of supplies are on the way from Harris County to hurricane impacted areas in Georgia and Florida.
Fourth graders from New Mountain Hill Elementary School put together the relief drive after hearing about Hurricane Michael’s impact.
“I had students ask, ‘What we can do to help?’ I turned it around and said, ‘You tell me what we can do to help?'” says NMHES teacher Alison Hurst.
Hurst says the ideas from young minds began pouring in.
“We care about the people in the hurricane,” says one of the fourth graders.
From there, what was supposed to be a small Learning Service Project, turned into the entire community pitching in.
Originally, the students were looking to send a truck and trailer with aid. It’s now a semi-truck plus two trucks and trailers scheduled to haul supplies.
“Their hearts are way too big for an F-150,” says Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley, “I knew it would mushroom. I knew it would grow, because they are a giving group of kids down there.”
The students asked the community, “help them help others.”
“I was sad at first, but then I heard we were going to donate things to help them out to get back on their feet and it made me happy,” says student Kamdon Jones.
Sheriff Jolley is driving the semi to Mexico Beach, FL.
The beach has a special significance to him. He lost a beach house during the hurricane. The sheriff says he just returned from there Wednesday night after plucking through the rummage.
“What do you pick? We were actually able to take a window from the front of the house,” says Sheriff Jolley explaining how the back of the home was completely destroyed, “we will put that in a new house when we rebuild.”
The two trucks leaving from NMHES will head into Seminole County, GA.
The location is significant to one of the fourth grade teachers. It’s where Angela Slaughter grew up.
“I feel like my new community of 20 years now is helping the community where I came from,” says Slaughter.
The full effort shows just how much of an impact children can make.
“It warms your heart to know these kids, who are 9-10 years old, that they can put themselves in the position to think about other people,” says teacher Dawn Caudill.
“Harris County is a giving place with a big heart,” says Sheriff Jolley.
The children say they are just happy to help.
“I think it’s a good thing, because you have to have a kind heart to do stuff like this,” says student Serenity Maddox.
Hurst says the entire project is a collaboration of all the fourth grade teachers- Shelley Thornton, Lauren Davenport, Maggie Williamson, Dawn Caudill, and Angela Slaughter.
Supplies can be dropped off at the school up until 11:30 a.m. Friday.
Supplies can be dropped off at the Harris County Community Center until 4:00 p.m. Friday.
