About the SIUC Student Center
Information and Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Coriasco
Student Center Marketing and Graphics
Phone – (618) 453-1142
Fax – (618) 453–3492
Date of Release: April 9, 2008
Spring break usually means warm weather and a sandy beach somewhere south for the majority of SIUC students. For a small but select group, this year it meant a special service project in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. A small group of volunteers from the College of Education RSO , Educ8kdz, along with the group advisor, Dr. Christie McIntyre, assisted by Dr. Debbie Bruns and their two young daughters, spent the week of Spring Break restocking and organizing libraries, painting and reading to kids. The group was affiliated with Dillard University. Dr. Ramona Jean-Perkins from Dillard arranged their work locations in various schools and child care facilities, had an opportunity to talk with them about post-Katrina life, and invited them on campus to present a session to Dillard students about designing web pages.
Many donations accompanied the group on this mission to begin rebuilding the devastated educational systems. Along with the 10 cases of Shadow Books, (five subject notebooks), donated by the Student Center, the University Bookstore gave each member of the entourage matching SIUC baseball caps. The Student Center Craft Shop volunteered 100 cars built out of scrap wood by members of Tau Kappa Epsilon in the Happy Factory.
The group was also assisted by the DJs of Magic 95.1 who interviewed members throughout the week prior to the trip and promoted the cause, asking the public for donations of children’s books, sports equipment, toys, school supplies, and anything in general for schools and daycare facilities.
Many thanks goes out to those who made donations, but a special “hats off” goes to the students and staff who selflessly gave their time and effort to help others, proving that the college experience extends far beyond books and the SIUC campus.
