By Maria Riegel, Special Writer
The South Brunswick High School politics elective course offered to junior and senior students, Institute for Political and Legal Education (IPLE) is holding its 30th annual IPLE Holiday Fund during the month of December.
IPLE teaches students the aspects of the local, state and federal government systems.
According to an IPLE teacher, Justin Negraval all money raised is donated to the South Brunswick Human Intervention Trust Fund.
The South Brunswick Human Intervention Trust Fund helps needy families in South Brunswick Township that “go without proper food, shelter, and essential medical care every day due to a variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domestic violence, or divorce” according to the township website.
Monetary donations as well as canned or non-perishable donations can be donated.
Mr. Negraval said that all SBHS students and South Brunswick community members are welcome to donate to the IPLE Holiday Fund. Students can donate during their lunch periods or bring their donations to A212 during the week of Dec. 17.
”Community members can certainly donate to the fund,” Mr. Negraval said. “They can send their cash or checks or food donations to the main office secretary marked for the IPLE Holiday Fund and it will be placed in our mailbox.”
IPLE students made posters that were hung in the high school hallways to encourage students and faculty members to donate to the charity drive. In addition, IPLE students will also be collecting donations from within the South Brunswick community according to Mr. Negraval. He said that the IPLE community would like to be done collecting donations before winter break starts after Dec. 21.
Mr. Negraval said that IPLE would like to collect a minimum of $2,000 for the fund.
Although IPLE would like to meet their monetary goal, Mr. Negraval said that he is aware of the inability of collecting large donations because of the current economy.
”In a school this large it should not be an issue,” Mr. Negraval said. “However, in these hard economic times, it has been difficult to raise money. People are generous but they can also (only) give so much.”
Furthermore, Mr. Negraval recognizes that another obstacle towards their goal is the competition with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
Mr. Negraval said that it is essential to continue the IPLE Holiday Fund each year not only to help those in need, but to reinforce the IPLE curriculum and to draw awareness of community issues to the students.
”IPLE has always had a community outreach component as part of our curriculum,” Mr. Negraval said. “Whether we’re trying to bring politicians or community leaders into the classroom, or raising money for charity, the course seeks to engage students in local issues and community concerns.”
He said that the IPLE course is based off of having students understand issues in their own community and what it will take to build a community and then maintain a successful society.
”We hope that this yearly charity drive helps students realize the local need for charity,” Mr. Negraval said. “Whether we’re talking about large political concepts or laws, we always strive for students to understand and appreciate concepts larger than themselves.”
