Norwalk High School students raise over $21,500 in annual “Giving Charity to Charities” program

Social studies teachers show the letters they have received from the charities they helped this past year. Norwalk High School’s social studies classes program, Giving Charity to Charities, raised $21,500 for 26 different charities. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

NORWALK - The year 2020 has led to numerous disappointments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Spring high school sports being cancelled, even proms and graduations gone by the wayside.

With numerous end of the year high school ceremonies also cancelled, one won’t go forgotten. 

The annual “Giving Charity for Charities” ceremony at Norwalk High was held in the gym of almost 500 students on March 5.

Running the ceremony was the student government consisting of: ASB President, AngieFuentes; ASB Vice President, Eva Ceballos; Senior Class President, Manuel Cisneros; and Senior Class Vice President, Daniela Carvajal.

“To show how much they’re raising, it’s unbelievable,” said new Norwalk La Mirada Unified School District Superintendent John Lopez. “They are giving back to the community.

“I’m so proud of them. We get to hear the stories and sometimes it hits home.”

Norwalk football coach and Giving Charity for Charities founder Dean Gray wanted to see that those students, who collected money for 26 charities, got their recognition afterall.

“We really want to thank the students of the classes of 2020 and 2021,” Norwalk football coach Dean Gray said. “This gives us an opportunity to say thank you. We weren’t able to let the students read the thank you letters from all 26 charities.

“Since we closed the schools a week after the assembly, we did not have a chance to share the charities’ appreciation and thank our students for all their hard work and dedication to making a difference in people’s lives.” 

The Giving Charity to Charities Program works through the Norwalk High School Social Studies Department and started with the Norwalk class of 2013.  

“Since then, our seniors and juniors have raised approximately $120,000 for over 100 charities,” Gray added. “This year our seniors and juniors raised the most money for the most charities ever. They raised over $21,500 for 26 different charities.

$821.21 went to 25 of the charities, while the CDC received $1,000

The program started with two teachers and 200 students eight years ago and it’s grown extensively, culminating with 10 teachers and over 500 students this year.

The program has gained attention and even had a personal thank you from a charity in Africa.

“Drop in the Bucket”, providing clean water for villages in Africa, had a sign by children in the village saying ‘Thank You Norwalk’,” Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Director of Human Resources Director, Mike Garcia said. “That’s incredible. The amount of good that has come out of this is special.” Garcia, formerly the Norwalk High Principal, recently was named to the position in the district.

Personal stories always rise out of most of the charities. Included was that of Angela Castillon. Angela chose “Jonathan Jacques Children’s Cancer Institute.” 

Castillon, who is in AP US History teacher Eric Walter’s period two class, chose her charity for her brother, Matthew Castillon. Matthew, who was at the ceremony, was diagnosed with cancer at age two and has been treated extensively at the Jacques Center. 

Another came about after a student didn’t get his charity chosen to represent the class, said coach Gray. After the class Gray remembers the young man saying, ‘......now that’s my charity.’ He sold four boxes of granola bars instead of the one box sold by each student.

“I just remember how it affected me and that tells you how kids are here,” Gray said.  

Each student sells one box of granola bars, purchased at the Norwalk Costco, which is how the funds are raised.

At the ceremony each class will go down on the floor while the representative is presenting the check to the charity.

It all culminates with a giant pizza party just for the classes and representatives after the ceremony.

What they said:

Mike Garcia, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District - Director Human Resources; Former Norwalk High School Principal

“The actual assembly is run by the students. They are running the show. Dean (Gray) does all of the leg work. For all of these different causes, there’s a story for each one. The stories that are there are very emotional.

The kids get so into it by selling these granola bars. They own it!”

Eric Walter, Norwalk High School AP US History teacher

“Each student in the 21 senior government classes will research the charity and they pick one to represent the class. Every year it’s bigger and bigger and more and more kids. The kids did it all. It’s taken on a life of its own. It started with just seniors, but this year we had some junior AP US History classes doing it. 

It’s very emotional at the assembly and some of the parents are there. A representative of the charity is there and a check is presented to them. It’s such a cool thing and meaningful.”

David Olea, Norwalk High School Principal

“As the newly appointed principal of Norwalk High School, I am extremely proud of “Giving Charity to Charities.” In my short time at NHS, I have learned that the school culture is the heart of our campus. It is amazing that our students have raised over $120,000 since 2013 and have donated to 100 charities. This process is unique and totally student driven. Eleventh and twelfth grade students research a charity and present it to their class. The classes then vote on the charity and begin the process of raising money through selling granola bars. The classes of 2020 and 2021 broke the school record and raised $21,500 dollars, distributing the funds to 26 charities this past 2019-20 school year. While navigating through the early stages of this pandemic, $1,000.00 was raised in the month of February to support the CDC COVID-19 foundation’s efforts for a cure.

The work of the students and staff at NHS truly exemplifies civic engagement and the process of developing students into global citizens that will make this world a better place. I am thrilled to see what our students accomplish this year and in the years to come.”

Angie Fuentes, 2020 Norwalk ASB President

“The amount of students that chose to sell a box was amazing. It’s definitely something beautiful. It truly is our community coming together. Coach Gray organizes it and we get the whole event going. I was lucky to be a representative for a charity. My charity was Acres of Love. My charity was to help kids who don’t have a home. They help raise money to help provide a home-like atmosphere. It really caught my attention. Most of us have a home and a lot of us take it for granted. It made my heart feel so sad.” 

Below is a list of the 21 charities:

• Achilles International

• ACLU

• Acres of Love

• A Sense of Home

• Autism Society of Los Angeles

• Best Friends Animal Society

• Big Brothers Big Sisters

• Camp Erin

• CDC Foundation

• City of Hope

• Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention

• Epilepsy Foundation

• For the Child

• Gary Sinise Foundation

• JDRF Los Angeles

• Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center

• Last Chance for Animals

• Long Beach Rescue Mission

• My Stuff Bags Foundation

• National Kidney Foundation

• One Legacy

• Operation mend – UCLA

• Peace Over Violence

• Ronald McDonald House

• St. Jude

• UNICEF