By Shauna Langlois,Lewiston Middle School

Down in the poverty stricken villages of Guatemala, you will see a big smile and a suitcase. Whom does this belong to? Pamylah Brown, a teacher from Lewiston Middle School, who will be flying to Guatemala this November to help teach children who can not afford to go to school. The organization Safe Passage inspired Ms. Brown to fly down there. Safe Passage was formed in 1999, to help with the families who couldn’t afford anything. Safe Passage is a program that is “committed to helping the poorest of Guatemala’s children move beyond poverty in a dignified and permanent way through education,” Safe Passage pledges. Many of the children with this organization are so poor that they can’t even afford food for themselves. They are seen scrounging in the Guatemala city garbage dump looking for something to eat or sell to buy food.

How can students and educators help? Outside Ms. Brown’s room 105 is a large cardboard box that students in her period 5 class decorated. There are also posters all around the school that Team 71 has created that will explain more about the school’s supply drive. We are looking for people who are willing to donate pens, crayons, pencils, markers, and pencil sharpeners.

Our goal is to get at least a suitcase full of these items. We are very close to reaching that goal, but the more we have the better! If you would like to donate, please drop by room 105. Hundreds of children will go without education if we don’t do something now. So, if this story touches your heart, donate any little thing that will help someone.