All of the students enrolled into the IB Program at Cape Coral High are participating in a fundraiser dear to their hearts. The fundraiser is raising money for children who are in need this holiday season by adopting their own foster children for the holiday season.
These children are of various ages, from four years old to eighteen, and they unfortunately do not the funds to make Christmas as special as it should be.
IB Gives Back is a program that got its start at Cape High last year when Caroline Toadvine came across a story of an older couple who had suffered immense damage to their home from the hurricanes.
The students in the IB program raised money for the couple, and had a luncheon where they presented this money to the couple in person. It was a very touching moment and a lesson learned for the young minds of the program.
The fundraiser this year carries similarities to many foundations that happen every year around the holiday season to help people around the holidays. It also shares the same concept of the Salvation Army Angle Trees where each person takes a child and shops for them as if they were their own.
Essentially, Caroline Toadvine has different IB classes, from grades 9-12, and she has challenged each class with the goal of raising $200. This puts hundreds of students in the position to help people who really need it this holiday season.
In each class, a total amount of money per student is calculated to find out how much money each student should contribute to make their goal. For most classes it’s around $10 from each student.
Ivan Langaney, a sophomore who served as an active participant in the fundraiser, explained that, “participating in fundraisers like this one makes me feel like I’m a part of something bigger.”
Along with the money, each student is asked to contribute a small stocking stuffer for their adopted child. All proceeds are due December second so everything can be prepared and ready for the children.
A select few in each class period is given a responsibility within the classroom. Toadvine said that these students will be “collecting the money from their classes, and then two days after Thanksgiving break they will meet me on December second at Target to shop for their child’s wishlist.”
This is a special moment for these kids, who are called “leaders” for their classes. They get to not only deal with the people in their class, holding them accountable for the money they are to donate, but also see the Christmas magic up close when they pick out the gifts for their kids.
After all of the actual fundraising is completed, all IB students, whether they donated or not, are invited to participate in a holiday social on December 4th, where they will be getting hands-on experience with wrapping the gifts they bought for the children their class adopted.
Toadvine is planning this event to be not only a time of service, but also a time for fun. She is pairing the gift wrapping with holiday music, snacks, hot chocolate, and pajamas to give it a festive feeling.
All in all, the event surpassed all expectations. IB students from all grades gathered together for one common purpose.
Ava Romine, a junior IB student was responsible for being one of the leaders, collecting money and buying gifts. Her class had a four year old girl in the foster system and an 18 year old boy who attends Cape High to support.
“It felt great giving back to the community as part of the school because it feels as though we helped give these kids a great Christmas that they deserve.”
A unique aspect of this project was the kids that were being supported who actually go to Cape High.
“My favorite part of the event was hearing the stories about the kids in need and how Mrs. Toadvine came in contact with them, especially the story about the girl that goes to our school that was a foster kid who Mrs. Soto[Vanessa Soto] reached out to help,” said junior Abrielle Joseph.
