Helping Their Peers in Uganda

This past spring, three fifteen year-old students at the Shore Country Day School in Beverly, MA responded to a challenging project in their globalization class by adopting Global Playground as their semester-long cause. Their challenge was to find a nonprofit whose cause they identified with and then go to bat for the nonprofit by raising funds and awareness within their school and neighborhoods. With incredible enthusiasm and excitement, the students became such advocates and fundraisers for Global Playground that their globalization teacher, Tung Trinh, knighted them the "Trio of Awesome."

Trinh, who teaches seventh and ninth grade at the Shore School, learned of Global Playground from his friend and Advisory Committee member, Ashley Clevenger. He highlighted Global Playground's mission and project in Uganda in the introduction to a semester-long project entitled "Your World." The Trio of Awesome was intrigued right away with Global Playground and with helping their peers in Uganda. "I think that taking a second to realize that many kids their age around the world don't have access to any type of education really made them want to help. They loved the idea of helping to give other kids a chance to learn and to experience what they have loved: learning in a school," Trinh said.

Upon learning of Global Playground, the Trio of Awesome became passionately involved. They immediately contacted and spoke with members of Global Playground's Board and Advisory Committee to learn more about Global Playground's project in Uganda. The Trio of Awesome then spoke in front of their school's entire student body of 200 students to raise awareness about Global Playground's mission. The boys also raised $350 by selling Global Playground t-shirts in their neighborhoods and to their classmates.

The Trio of Awesome truly serves as an inspiration to their community and so inspired others that Global Playground has received an anonymous donation matching the boys' fundraising efforts. "What you think and what you say is important in making change, but it is those who walk the walk and take action who accomplish change. These three gentlemen talked, and then they walked. I hope that their walk was one that inspires others to take some small steps, make the walk themselves, and help," Trinh said.

-Becca Sacra