According to recent news reports, the tsunami in South Asia has killed an estimated 212,000 people, with thousands more still missing. People all over the world have reacted by donating money to many relief organizations. Locally, many children are also contributing to the relief effort.

Parochial schools

Cardinal Ritter: For two weeks, students at this Westside school used competition to solicit donations.

After viewing a tsunami report on Channel One, a news channel available in classrooms, two eighth-graders, Brittany Monfreda and Dana Hernandez, decided to begin a penny war, pitting grade levels against each other to collect the coins.

But there was a catch. Students could sabotage another grade level's effort by adding other coins or dollar bills to the penny pile. Those were deducted from each class' score but still counted in the total donation. Students raised about $1,500, and then that money was matched by a local company, doubling the donation. All money will be sent to Catholic Relief Services.

Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School: Student body vice president Peter Rembusch said the student council teamed up with the Asian Club, the largest school club, to put on the second annual "Rock Against Racism," a battle of the bands, with proceeds going to the Red Cross.

And the council at the Far-Northside school also will work with Students Taking Responsibility Against Poverty to make care packages to send overseas.

"Our goal was to simply provide any kind of donation to the overall relief efforts. So far, we have been able to raise over $1,600 through a schoolwide collection," Rembusch said.

St. Matthew School: The Catholic grade school raised money by asking students to pay $1 to wear jeans to school one day.

Fifth-grader Nick Denari was happy to do it.

"It was really cool that I got to help out the (tsunami) victims and at the same time wear no uniform," he said. "I gave $20 because I just felt the extra urge to give more because (the children) are so much in need."

The Northeastside school's 420 students raised an estimated $805 for UNICEF.

Indianapolis Public Schools

IPS schools are trying many ways to help tsunami victims. Several have partnered with the Indianapolis Colts, which donated posters to be sold to raise money. Schools also are selling other items.

At the Center for Inquiry , it's popcorn. At Broad Ripple High School , it's handmade boxes.

And at School 60 , chips and drinks are being sold to raise money. Asia Turentine is a fifth-grader at the Near-Northside school; her class has spearheaded the school's efforts, raising $130 the first day.

"I thought it was bad when the tsunami came," she said. "Our goal is to help the Red Cross, to help the tsunami victims."

Two seventh-grade language-arts teachers at Farrington Middle School have used the tragedy as a teaching tool.

After seeing what they thought was a lack of concern among some of their students, Jason Kraus and Patricia Elff designed a lesson to explain not only what a tsunami is but also the devastation it can cause.

Their class at the Far-Westside school has set out to raise $1,470 -- one penny per each life lost, according to an earlier estimate.

Two students -- Shiwanda Ward and Erin McElwain -- explained their motivation in an e-mail to Y-Press:

"After our class was instructed about the horrible tsunami and we were shown pictures (if we wanted to look), many of us felt sorry, real bad. We wanted to help these poor people."

A popular fund-raiser is at Northwest High School , also on the Westside, where students are allowed to defy the dress code by wearing hats -- if they donate $1 to the Red Cross. On the first day, students raised $150 -- before the school day even started. Media specialist Genevieve McLeish-Petty, whose video production students were the ones who came up with the idea, said: "High school students feel so connected with the world but so incapable of making an impact. I was excited to see the students pressuring kids into donating even if they did not have a hat."

Suburbs and townships

Brownsburg schools raised more than $14,000 for the Association for India Development, with more than $10,000 coming from White Lick Elementary .

Pike Township students have been busy, too. Several schools are collecting for UNICEF, including Guion Creek Elementary School , where many students have relatives in Sri Lanka. Snacks Crossing Elementary is hosting a Valentine's Day candy sale.

The student council at Fishback Creek Public Academy is taking a different approach: They are working with Habitat for Humanity International to raise funds for houses destroyed by the tsunami. Each grade is collecting donations and money to create baskets, which will be auctioned off at 7 p.m. Feb. 24.

"Each class is collecting things for a certain room in a house, like ours is collecting for the family room," said student council president Grace Hankins, a fifth-grader. The school hopes to raise $5,000, enough to build six houses.

The tsunami hit close to home at Fishback, too, Grace said. "Our student council treasurer's grandparents live in India near where the tsunami hit. But they're OK."

In Washington Township, Westlane Middle School assistant principal Ken Cox lost his beard and other teachers took pies in the face after students collected $10,000 for the Red Cross. And faculty at Allisonville Elementary , beware -- that school might do likewise.

Many township elementary schools are raising funds the old-fashioned way, with collection canisters and sales. Harcourt donated admission to its hip-hop dance to relief efforts, and John Strange plans to do the same thing at its Feb. 4 talent show. Student council members at Fox Hill Elementary culminated two weeks of fund-raising with an after-school sock hop for all township elementary students, charging $2 admission. In all, Fox Hill students raised more than $2,450.

In Carmel , the high school's Key Club is collecting donations during lunch periods and at basketball games. In addition, Carmel elementary and middle-school classes are engaged in "Jar Wars" for UNICEF, with each grade trying to outdo the others. Response has been good, said sixth-grader Juana San Martin, a student representative at Carmel Middle School.

"At lunch, the students donate the extra money," she said. "Kids seem to be donating all they can."

Perry Township second-graders have immersed themselves in the relief efforts. Students at Jeremiah Gray-Edison Elementary wrote poems and letters to the tsunami victims and rescue workers. Second-graders at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School sponsored a penny war to help. The students raised over $1,400 in just two days. Contributions will be donated to the Red Cross.

Penny wars are a popular way of raising funds, and Southport Sixth Grade Academy has jumped on the bandwagon. Students raised $3,000 in the first four days. Teacher Tom Ruiz is happy with the results.

"It's phenomenal," he says. "It blew us away." He said parents and teachers contributed as well.

At Franklin Central High School , the Earth Science department hosted an assembly to raise money. In the presentation, students described the forces behind the tsunami, explaining that even the seismograph at the school registered the earthquake that caused the catastrophe.

Franklin Central students paid $1 to attend the convocation, which capped a week of fund-raising efforts. Sophomore Maria Granato said organizers exceeded their goal of $2,000.

Mooresville High School held lunchtime Olympics, with events such as Play-Doh Shotput. Another popular fund-raiser was the basketball shooting contests during halftime of home games. After-school groups, like UNITY, SADD and Project Ignition, came together to offer a variety of activities, called Project Hope, and raised $1,400 for the Red Cross.

"The amazing thing was seeing all the groups come together to take on the project. Everyone was involved," said UNITY president Jacqui Blessing.

Lawrence Township schools, including Forest Glen and Oaklandon Elementary are collecting monetary donations for UNICEF.

With so many relief efforts currently taking place, there is comfort that other schools will continue their efforts, even as the tsunami disaster moves off the front pages.

Warren Central High School's National Honor Society, student council and senior class will begin their efforts in February. The groups are planning activities that include collecting spare change at lunchtime. Donations will be sent to the Red Cross.

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Maria Srour, 17; Katie Bolinger, 14; Andy Goldblatt, 16.

REPORTERS: Steven Thompson, 13; Elaine Lynch, 12; Keenen Brannon, 10.

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