The Northern Kentucky University Latino Institute for Excellence (LIFE) partnered with Samuel Woodfill Elementary in Ft. Thomas in a school-wide humanitarian campaign, ¡Yo soy Líder! Desde KY a Puerto Rico Ayudamos a Nuestros Amigos.
The project was inspired by Heather Turner, Woodfill’s Spanish teacher.
The students raised $2,000, and with NKU LIFE’s match, they donated a total of $4,000 to Comité Pro Desarrollo de Maunabo. This donation will assist directly in the reconstruction of Maunabo’s Natural Reserve and will contribute to restoring the facilities of La Casa Verde and its neighboring communities devastated by hurricane María.
The Chairs of NKU LIFE’s Puerto Rico Relief Campaign, Leo Calderón and Irene Encarnación, surprised the students in late March with the $2,000 gift match. The school fifth graders watched a video of Professor Encarnación’s spring break visit to Maunabo.
“We were so impressed with these students and their determination to make a difference in an area impacted by a major disaster,” said Leo Calderón. “They are young, but they are learning by seeing how the money they raised can help. It goes back to their teachers who inspired these students to be global citizens.”
This is NKU LIFE’s second donation to help Puerto Rico recover. The group also made a $4,000 gift to the Silicon Valley Communities Foundation/Puerto Rico Relief Campaign. For more information on NKU’s Latino Programs and Services, visit: nku.edu/latino