Primary school children at the International School São Lourenço raised more than €3,000 in February for a charity supporting homeless people in the Algarve.
The money was presented to the Centro de Apoio aos Sem-Abrigo (CASA), based in Faro, along with donations of food, toiletries, clothing and other supplies.
CASA not only helps the homeless, but also the elderly and families in need.
The children were moved and motivated to do whatever was possible to help people in need following a presentation by representatives from CASA last month.
Their drive and determination sparked, they formulated their plans and put them into action.
Each year group chose a sponsored activity such as walks, an ice skating session and cycling.
The children received sponsorship in monies and/or supplies.
A spokesman from the school said: “We are very proud of the children’s efforts and enthusiasm for the project. Not only did they exceed their expectations in helping a charity, they also had fun in the process.
“This enterprise is part of the ongoing learning at ISSL Primary school. It forms part of our ‘Personal Finance Education’, raising awareness of money and its impact on society.”
Senior students welcome author
Meanwhile, on March 1, senior students and teachers from International School São Lourenço celebrated World Book Day with a special visit from author Will Cleveland.
Originally from America, Will Cleveland is now based in Lisbon where he teaches at an international school.
The author described his first published novel, The Baboons of Dawn, as being somewhere between Harry Potter and Indiana Jones in style.
The story involves a group of children trapped in time who have to struggle to get back to the present by acquiring a number of special amulets.
He then led an interactive writing workshop for all the students in Key Stage 3 and 4. Students were shown how he uses music to inspire and generate ideas for plots, settings and characters and were given the opportunity to try out these methods.
