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What happens to a country where less than half
of the population has received an education?
Hammond High School G/T Independent
Research student, Ruqayyah Albaari believes that
many countries in Africa are faced with a lack of
education and, therefore, have become trapped in
a cycle of social, political, and economic turmoil
.As a part of a global community, Ruquyyah wants
to make people aware of this crisis. "Without the
opportunity of an education, there will be no
possibility of change for the youth of Africa today",
she states.
Through her Gifted and Talented Independent Research class, she researched
this issue and learned that many students in African countries, including her
family's homeland of Ethiopia, never even owned a book of their own. For her
final class project, Ruqayyah became intent on determining a way to bring books
to these children half way across the world. Because of her love of books, service
to others, and of course cupcakes, Ruqayyah came up with the idea for "Cake for
Books". She organized a youth group dedicated to collecting books from the
community with a twist-- cupcakes.
On Sunday, February 21 at the Howard County Central Library, her vision
became a reality. For every three books donated to her cause, the donor received
one cupcake. With the help from her G/T Resource Teacher, April Lerner and
advisory council's adult advisor, Ms. Carol Wasser,
the youth group
made fliers,
distributed them
locally, advertised the event through
Howard County
G/T Resource
Teachers at all
levels, and baked over 400 cupcakes.
The event brought
in over 1,500 books
to Ruqayyah's
cause.
Albaari, center, is joined by her fellow classmates to help collect
books and distribute cupcakes.
in the lives of Africa's children, as Ruqayyah that believes Ghandi's words, "Be
the change you wish to see in this world", are something that we should all
follow.
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Hammond High School
8800 Guilford Road, Columbia, Maryland 21046
PHONE: 410.313.7615; FAX: 410.313.7632
A Howard County, Maryland Public School
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