“We are truly honored that you and your French language students selected Doctors Without Borders as the beneficiary of your fundraiser,” Doctors Without Borders representative Jeremy Wells wrote in a letter to Irvington Middle School French teacher and French Club advisor Deanna Tessler. “Every day, we’re able to save lives because of the generosity of supporters like you. Thank you again for your efforts.”
As part of the fundraising efforts, more than 30 students served as French ambassadors and presented information to their peers about French Week and the humanitarian organization.
Students in Deborah Scofield’s, Christina Mitchell/Allicia Rios’ and Gregg Pernick’s classes raised the most amount of money in their grades.
“It’s about showing that our students can make a difference,” Tessler said. “The letter and certificate from Doctors Without Borders was a great way for the students to own and feel proud of their hard work.”
Tessler added the school has been raising money for Doctors Without Borders for 13 years and will continue to support the organization’s humanitarian work around the world.
“One of the more powerful things I’ve heard from students is their reaction to how many children are starving,” she said. “It’s also incredibly rewarding, to me personally, when students bring in money that’s from their own savings or from bar or bat mitzvah gifts because they want to make a difference.”
According to the letter, Doctors Without Borders volunteers are currently delivering emergency medical care to victims of armed conflicts, epidemics, and natural and man- made disasters in nearly 70 countries, including Liberia, Syria and the Central African Republic.
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