Charitable teenagers focus on helping needy

Jun 12 2007 By Gareth Smith, The Journal

Enterprising students have raised £26,500 to pay for a charitable trip to Costa Rica this summer. Graeme King talked to teacher Gareth Smith about their achievement.

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It sounds like a mammoth figure for those on a teenager's budget. How do you set about raising £26,500 when you've already got plenty on your plate with studying for your GCSEs? But a group of youngsters from Walker Technology College on Tyneside have achieved their goal and will be flying out to the Central American country of Costa Rica next month to take part in housebuilding projects for local people.

The students have had to raise all the cash themselves and have thrown themselves into the fundraising with a photography business, a sponsored bag pack, and a bucket collection at St James's Park, Newcastle - amongst other activities.

The group, all aged 15 or 16 and about to finish their GCSEs, raised the cash to pay for expenses such as accommodation, flights and food for the two weeks that they will be overseas.

So popular was the Costa Rican trip that the school had to go through a selection process to decide which students would make the cut.

Gareth Smith, geography teacher at Walker Technology College, is overseeing the project and said he had been overwhelmed by the pupils' enthusiasm and dedication.

He said: "We leave on July 16, which is fast approaching now. We have raised the funds - all the money we needed.

"We made around £2,500 from the Image photography business. Students ran it themselves in their own time.

"They also did some promotion work at local business events, and various staff have donated things, and got things from local companies.

"We have done bag packs, bucket collections, and a Hallowe'en party for the kids in school.

"We also got a substantial bursary from the Youth Opportunity Fund of £7,000. And we have been supported by funds from Walkergate city council ward."

Mr Smith said Walker Technology College had an existing connection with Costa Rica having organised a similar trip two years ago, and it is hoped to make it a regular event.

He said: "We've run this project once before and we are trying to keep it going, to run every other year.

"I went on the first trip, which was absolutely fantastic. We are going to develop housing for local families.

"And all the benefits the students gain from the trip were shown to be so good. We are taking students to work alongside local families. They have to overcome communication barriers, and use interpersonal skills through working as a team.

"For many of them, they are quite underprivileged and this is their first trip abroad."

Walker Technology College is working with a company called I-to-I in Leeds, and it will have a coordinator with the students for the trip.

Mr Smith said: "They will have just finished their GCSEs when they go. Until the week before we go, we don't know the exact project site - it could be housing or maybe a school.

"I'm immensely proud of them as a group. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of them. Hopefully it will be a start for them in getting into charity work.

"Some of the ones we took last time have done similar trips again in places like India."

Andrew Donnison, from Walker, is one of the 14 pupils taking part in the project. He said: "We are all really eager to help the local people in Costa Rica who may not have the money or materials to build their own homes.

"We set up our own company to boost our fundraising.

"We all got together and discussed possible business plans but the best idea was to launch a print photography business."

The students have been assisted by the donation of hardwearing builders' boots from housing company Your Homes Newcastle; and the school's local chemist, Church Walk Pharmacy, has offered 20% off any medication the group needs to take with them.