Griswold Public Schools has announced the Griswold High School Student Leadership Council has raised $1,087 for World Central Kitchen, an organization that is providing hot meals for Ukrainian refugees across 21 cities in eastern Europe.

The Student Leadership Council raised the money by selling “Stand with Ukraine” bracelets for $3 each. They sold 250 bracelets to students, teachers, parents and other community members and received additional donations over a two-week period in April.

Griswold High School sophomore Kianna Ego worked with social studies teacher Hannah McNeil to develop the fundraiser.

“In Civics class earlier this year, we were discussing human rights and learning about genocide. This was around the time Russia invaded Ukraine, and Ms. McNeil said if anyone wanted to do something to support Ukrainian refugees, she would be on board to help,” said Ego.

She discussed the conflict with her mom and decided she could not sit around and do nothing, so Ego returned to school the next day to brainstorm how to raise money and research credible organizations with her teacher and Student Leadership Council adviser Ms. McNeil.

The fundraiser was promoted at school and on social media.

“Bracelets were simple and something we knew students would buy. I see students and teachers wearing them all the time,” said Ego. “It was great to see our community come together for an important cause.”

World Central Kitchen was selected as the beneficiary of the funds. WCK has been scaling up response efforts in support of Ukraine as residents increasingly are fleeing for other countries. For more information about World Central Kitchen, visit wck.org.

“One of the main tenets of civic education is to get involved in the community. Students oftentimes feel hopeless or helpless when events as big as these happen, and they don’t know what they could possibly do to help,” noted Ms. McNeil in a release. “I try to encourage them to do good things in their community, in their own corner of the world. ... I think it showed kids they can make a difference even with something small.”

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