Coulwood Middle School students Kimberly Hernandez (left), Taniyah Corry (center) and Mary Beth Rawls (right) lead the school’s juvenile diabetes walk April 20. (Tori Hamby/MIM photo)

Fighting juvenile diabetes is a team effort, and students at a Mountain Island middle school have united to take on that challenge.

A police escort and the school’s band led more than 300 Coulwood Middle School students through the surrounding Coulwood neighborhood the morning of April 20 to bring awareness to the disease that affects more than three million Americans. For a donation of $5 or more, students got out of class for the morning and participated in the walk. They netted more than $2,000 for JDRF, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, said event organizer and school nurse Carolyn McNeil.

“With the enormous amount of work and effort that it takes to help (the school’s) diabetic students have a safe and healthy day, we think that it is important that we raise awareness,” McNeil said.

Coulwood neighbors gathered outside of their homes to watch the parade of students and donate money. Sarah Cunningham, special events coordinator for the JDFR’s Charlotte chapter, said that while most schools chose to simply walk around their tracks or ball fields, Coulwood Middle chose to take their efforts out to the heart of the community.

McNeil said she came up with idea while taking her own jaunt through the neighborhood.

“We just happen to live in an area where it can really come together,” McNeil said.

For diabetic sixth-graders Zayan Dixon and Taniyah Corry, the walk gave each of them the chance to discuss juvenile diabetes, also known as Type I diabetes, with their classmates.

“They have lots of questions,” Taniyah said.

Having diabetes, Zayan said, sometimes keeps him from participating in certain activities with classmates.

“I don’t get to play sports as much as I would like,” Zayan said.

The event preceded the JDRF Charlotte chapter’s annual Walk to Cure Diabetes on April 21 at Carowinds. In addition to local walks throughout the year, Cunningham said, the chapter holds a golf tournament and black-tie gala.

“JDRF is an organization that raises money to fund a cure for diabetes and its complications, as well as different treatments,” Cunningham said. “Our kids’ walks serve two purposes: They raise awareness in the school and the community surrounding it, and help raise money for research.”

Type I diabetes causes the immune system to attack their body’s insulin, producing beta cells in the pancreas, dangerously raising the levels of glucose in the blood. Those diagnosed with the disease may have to monitor their blood sugar levels several times a day, give themselves insulin shots or use an insulin pump to make up for the body’s inability to make the hormone and follow rigid diet guidelines.

JDRF estimates that over 13,000 children, at least 35 per day, are diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.

“Juvenile diabetes has such an impact on the lives of (our diabetic students),” McNeil said. “It’s a great way that we can help those who are right here in our own school.”

Want more information?

To learn more about JDRF, go online to www.jdrf.org.

West Mecklenburg High School has teamed up with Northwest School the Arts, Hough High and about a dozen other schools throughout Charlotte and Atlanta to build a school in South Sudan. Students De’Onna Banks (left) and Ashley Cuomo decorated the school’s spirit rock to advertise the fundraiser. (Courtesy of Ashley Cuomo)

Local high school students are working toward making education more accessible for children living in the fledgling country of South Sudan.

West Mecklenburg High School is teaming up with Hough High School in Cornelius and Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte to help Mothering Across Continents, a nonprofit that organizes support projects in developing countries, raise the $40,000 needed to build a school in the Republic South Sudan, which attained independence last summer. Students hope to achieve their goal by the end of the school year through a variety of fundraising events.

“We thought of how cool it would be to have our names on the outside of a school in South Sudan,” said Ashley Cuomo, West Mecklenburg High School student body president. “It’s a big undertaking, but we’re working with other schools who are also very dedicated to the project.”

The project began earlier this year when Mothering Across Continents gave a presentation about South Sudan and the lack of educational opportunities for children to Carl Hamm’s leadership class. About 30,000 South Sudanese boys were displaced during the Second Sudanese Civil War between 1984 and 2005. The “Lost Boys of Sudan” who were not kidnapped and forced to serve as child soldiers fled to refugee camps. It’s estimated that about 80 percent of the population cannot read or write.

Since the project’s beginnings, students at West Mecklenburg and Hough high schools have worked closely together to develop a wide variety of fundraisiser. Students at West Mecklenburg have sold T-shirts and window decals and hosted a bake sale fundraiser at a March 27 baseball game against East Gaston High School. A Lost Boy of Sudan was also on hand at the game to talk to people about his experiences growing up in the war-torn region.

“This is the first fundraiser of its kind in (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools),” Hamm said. “There’s never been this big of a collaborative effort to raise such a large amount of money.”

Students, such as Ashley, who wanted to do more outside of school to help the cause also volunteered with Mothering Across Continents to organize a Students Supporting South Sudan benefit concert, featuring Sudanese rapper Emmanuel Jal, at Amos’ Southend. So far the West Mecklenburg High School fundraising cluster has raised about $4,000 to $5,000, said Elizabeth Peacock, education program manager with Mothering Across Continents.

“They’ve had a chance to sort of bond together and to attend and support each other’s fundraising activities,” Peacock said.

For more information about Mothering Across Continents or South Sudan, go online to www.motheringacrosscontinents.org.

Want to help?

To help West Mecklenburg High School meet its fundraising goal, call the school at 980-343-6080.

Each team consisted of six fifth-graders who scored the highest on a timed Math Masters pre-test. During the competition session, teams are given 15 minutes to answer up to nine math problems. Sessions include numeration, geometry, measurement, patterns, algebra, data interpretation, math manipulatives and tile math.

“The competition was filled with teams of outstanding mathematicians and supportive coaches,” said the county’s Department of Academically and Intellectually Gifted director Resa Hoyle. “Not only were the students’ math abilities extraordinary, but their behavior and cooperative spirit was exemplary as well.”

W.A. Bess Elementary placed first, Belmont Central Elementary placed third and Kiser Elementary placed fourth. All teams finishing in the top four received a team trophy and individual medals.

Volunteers will be asked to talk about various facets of their careers, including high school preparation, postsecondary educational requirements, technology used on the job and character aspects, such as criminal background checks and drug screening requirements.

Tables will be provided for displays and other visuals, and the school parking lot will be available for parking. The school asks that volunteers set up between 8 and 8:45 a.m.

To volunteer, email fracis.ferguson@cms.k12.nc.us with your company name, the person to speak to, phone number, mailing addresses and whether or not you will need electricity for your display.

Special award winners include:

• Caroline Gilland, Bradley Middle: American Meteorological Society and N.C. American Water Works & Water Environment Association.

• Alex Orellano, Hornets Nest Elementary: Discovery Place Discovery Award.

Caroline, a junior division winner, will go on to represent the Charlotte region at the N.C. Science & Engineering Fair at Meredith College on March 24.

Registration begins at 7 a.m., with a tee time of 8 a.m. A portion of the event’s proceeds will go toward additions and improvements to the school’s sports complex. The event’s theme is “Extreme Makeover Sports Style.”

Event highlights include a cash prize for Hole in One, a raffle, lunch and awards following the tournament.

For more information or to register, email EastGastonBC1744@yahoo.com.

The Third Annual Coats for Kids Campaign, a combined effort by several county churches, brought in more than 400 coats to keep kids warm through the cold winter months.

“Please know that we are deeply indebted to our churches, businesses and local citizens for their heartfelt contributions,” Superintendent L. Reeves McGlohon said. “The generosity of our community is overwhelming, and we thank all community members who donated to the Coats for Kids Campaign to ensure our children have a warm winter coat.”

Chopped barbecue or barbecue chicken plates, provided by Kenley Catering, will be available for $8 each. Customers may drive through or dine in. Proceeds benefit the school.

For more information, visit the Parent-Teacher-Student Association website at schools.cms.k12.nc.us/westmeck
lenburgHS.

The program offers Gaston County high school students the opportunity to earn tuition-free college credit. Gaston County Schools also has agreed to pay for textbooks and fees for its program participants.