April 15, 2008

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCCL School's Big Give

The 7th and 8th graders at Newark Center for Creative Learning (NCCL) School, in Newark, Delaware, have launched a community service project called "NCCL School's Big Give." The 13 and 14 year olds have been given $50 to give away to help others. The students are researching and selecting suitable community causes, developing ways to solicit additional donations, and will personally donate the money and/or goods collected. Students will video their entire process, which they will then edit and present.

Oprah Winfrey was the inspiration for this idea. For her 2006 Annual Giveaway Program, Oprah gave over 300 audience members $1,000, a video camera and a week to give the money away to a stranger. Her staff then edited the video into the Results Show. The impact was incredible. Much more money was raised, the lives of thousands of people were changed and it was great publicity for the sponsors! This was the show that inspired Oprah to create her current hit reality show "The Big Give."

NCCL's project is providing a hands-on educational experience involving research, fundraising, and community awareness while simultaneously benefiting needy causes in the Newark community. The students are getting a tremendous lesson in the power of giving to their community, the community will benefit, and it will serve to strengthen the principal of giving to the community in our next generation of leaders. The project is part of a year-long curriculum "Stirring Up Justice - Reading and Writing to Change the World."

The school has obtained a grant from Walmart and Bank Of America as well as money from pretzel sales at the school to fund this project.

On May 15th, the students will be presenting their completed projects to their peers. The media is invited to cover any part of the project's progress from now, as the students choose their target causes, generate donations, contact the recipients and make their presentations.

For more details contact Kate Kerrane, teacher, at 302-368-7772 or katekerrane@msn.com.

Listen to WDEL's Education Watch featuring NCCL's Big Give Project.

A second press release is available.

A list of student projects is available