The gym was filled with an excited buzz as rookies filed in during independent study to witness the final product of the weeks of work they spent on their Slamming for a Cause event: The check ceremony. They raised $9,224 by making and performing slam poems where they sold tickets, t-shirts, baked goods, and more. On top of that, they held a silent auction where audience members could bid on various goods that the enterprising rookies obtained by soliciting donations from local businesses. This was the 10th ever Slamming for a Cause event ever.
All the proceeds from this event went to the Assistance League of Coppell, which was established in 1999 and chartered through 2001. They have programs in Coppell. For example, they offer scholarships for high school seniors. They also have a Helping Hearts program that supports senior citizens by bringing donuts, coffee, and crossword puzzle entertainment to adults in assisted living centers weekly. Furthermore, the Assistance League’s Journey’s Mentoring program provides select children in CISD with mentoring in their studies, making the right choices, and life overall. These local programs, along with a multitude of others, will be significantly benefited by the rookie’s hard work. If you’re interested in helping out at the Assistance League of Coppell, click here. They offer programs for students in 7th grade and up.
The rookies also gained valuable skills and insights when raising the money. According to rookie Suhas Nandyalam, “We learned to learn from and prevent hate, identification potential warning signs.” By researching and writing poems about important current events and pressing issues, students were able to develop their critical thinking and activism skills. “That’s not the only skill we learned,” said Suhas. “We had to call a lot of places to solicit money, so we learned how to speak to people and fundraise.” These skills set the baseline for future projects at New Tech.
Above all, New Tech’s check ceremony was a culmination of the rookies’ hard work, where they gained valuable skills and experiences while simultaneously raising money for a charitable cause.
