Teaching

Take Note

March 21, 2001 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The Birthday Maker

At the Sacred Heart Shelter in Seattle, Michaela Raikes is working to make a difference for homeless families and their children by supplying a little birthday cheer.

An 8th grader at Seattle’s 500-student Villa Academy, Michaela began visiting the shelter three years ago and joined the shelter’s tutoring program.

Michaela noticed that her pupils never celebrated a birthday. She soon learned their parents often were too poor to afford parties. Some even asked staff members not to mention upcoming birthdays so their children would not be disappointed.

Shelter administrators say many of their clients either have been laid off, are recovering from a drug addiction, or are the victims of domestic abuse. Under such grim circumstances, there seemed little room for birthdays.

But Michaela was determined to change all that. She proposed her “Secret Birthday Pal” last spring. “While celebrating birthdays may not be considered a necessity, it gives parents and their children an important boost during a down period in their lives,” Micahela wrote.

To design"birthday kits,” she created a form for parents that asks children’s ages, allergies, favorite colors, favorite cartoon characters, and interests. Using her own allowance money and baby-sitting earnings, she buys plates, party favors, and small gifts.

Shelter officials pass the kits to parents. “What’s special about this program is the gift Michaela gives to the parents,” said Tracy Massey, a spokeswoman for the shelter. “To have someone provide them a way to throw a party for their child, instead of a stranger just coming in and taking the credit, means a lot to them.”

Although Michaela was content to remain anonymous, her efforts gained national attention after one of her teachers nominated her for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, which she won. Since then, she has received several private donations.

—Marianne Hurst

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the March 21, 2001 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Equity & Diversity Webinar
Classroom Strategies for Building Equity and Student Confidence
Shape equity, confidence, and success for your middle school students. Join the discussion and Q&A for proven strategies.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Disrupting PD Day in Schools with Continuous Professional Learning Experiences
Hear how this NC School District achieved district-wide change by shifting from traditional PD days to year-long professional learning cycles
Content provided by BetterLesson
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Reports Student Motivation: Student and Educator Perceptions
Based on survey results from students and educators, this report examines strategies that might bolster student engagement and motivation.
Teaching Opinion Teaching Is About the Messy Work of Being Human. Here's How to Embrace It
It's OK to feel uncomfortable as you work with your students; it can even be a better choice than trying to control the learning process.
15 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Should Students Get a 'Do Over'? The Debate on Grading and Re-Doing Assignments Deepens
Amid diverging opinions on the practice, a grading expert weighs in.
4 min read
Tight crop of female hands grading papers.
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Teachers, To Succeed, It's Important to Be Flexible
Rigidity won't help your students, colleagues, or you in the short or long term.
17 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty