Seventh grade students at Melvin H. Kreps Middle School collect donations for tsunami victims.
By: Michael Ross
HIGHTSTOWN Three seventh-graders are spearheading a coffee-can collection to raise money for victims of the tsunami disaster.
Ruchika Talwar, Chloe Rothbloom and Lindsey Schulman are leading the charge at the Melvin H. Kreps Middle School to aid those afflicted by the giant swells that surged across the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26 and killed more than 225,000 people.
"Someone I knew lost family and they’re very, very close to me," Ruchika said Thursday. "We heard about how many people had died and thought that the school should be doing something to help these people."
The collection, which began Dec. 10 and will end today, Friday, will benefit the American Red Cross, Ruchika said.
As of Wednesday, $1,100 had been raised, according to seventh-grader Rachel Swallwood. She said The Merrill Lynch Foundation of Creskill has pledged to match the amount raised by the students.
"The money will help as many people as it can," Ruchika said.
The seventh-grader added that many teachers and students have supported the collection including Ellen Gertel, seventh-grade student counselor; Kathy Hill, eighth-grade teacher; Robert Seda-Schreiber, seventh-grade art teacher; Diane Fowler, sixth-grade teacher; and Taylor Hemphill, sixth-grade student.
The sixth-grade student government also is helping the effort by selling popcorn for $1 per bag, Ruchika said.
"So many people have been affected by this and it’s just heartbreaking," Ruchika said. "We thought we needed to do something."

