UNITED STATES: Bosco Tech student’s initiative sends 900 shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items to children in need
(MissionNewswire) Nearly 900 children around the globe had a brighter Christmas thanks to the hard work of Grayson Wade, an architecture and construction engineering senior at Don Bosco Technical Institute (Bosco Tech) in Rosemead, Calif. Wade orchestrated a massive Operation Christmas Child shoebox donation drive and got the entire Bosco Tech student to rally behind his efforts. All Bosco Tech students supported and contributed to this initiative.
As a result, the campus packed nearly 4,000 fully stocked shoeboxes and raised $38,000 for shipping costs. More than a campus-wide effort, the school’s faculty, staff and club members have been helped by other high schools, organizations and businesses, including Carrows and the Olive Garden, throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
Operation Christmas Child is part of Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian humanitarian organization providing aid to people in need around the world. The organization impacts more than 100 countries. The shoebox drive encourages the public to fill shoeboxes with medium- to large-sized items such as a soccer ball with a pump or a stuffed animal, then add in other fun toys, hygiene items and school supplies. The shoeboxes are shipped around the globe to boys and girls in need.
“I think it’s important for us to remember that globally there are great needs out there. There’s much more out there than our own day-to-day lives,” said Wade. “Since being introduced to this charity in 2010, the number of shoeboxes is always raised. The shoebox gifts have reached children in countries including Nepal, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Africa, Madagascar, Philippines and China. I’m inspired thinking of the kids who are happy to receive a box. I like to think it spreads hope. It’s a good way to speak about our faith and encourage people to believe in God.”
Don Bosco students around the globe frequently give back to their communities and other communities in need. Working in more than 132 countries, Salesian missionaries have created a vast network of primary, secondary, vocational and technical schools serving poor youth. With a focus on education and workforce development, Salesians worldwide provide disadvantaged youth valuable resources to aid them in finding livable wage employment.
Bosco Tech in Rosemead combines a rigorous college preparatory program with technology focused education. The innovative science, engineering, technology and math curriculum allows students to exceed university admission requirements while completing extensive integrated coursework in one of several applied science and engineering fields.
According to 2012 U.S. census data, close to 18 percent of the residents of Rosemead live in poverty, an increase from the overall 15.3 percent poverty rate for California. Youth living in poverty face lower rates of high school graduation and difficulty finding and maintaining employment. Bosco Tech’s focus on academics allows its students to excel while helping them remain in school and keep focused on continuing their education beyond high school into college.
###
Sources:
