Habitat for Humanity hosts home run derby for school in need

Like many urban schools, W.F. Powell Elementary School in Camden, N.J. is in desperate need of new supplies and learning tools to help mold its 206 young students’ eager minds. Rowan’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity has been working diligently since last semester to do just that.

W.F. Powell Elementary School has not only become a place of learning, but a place of shelter, serving three meals a day to students and offering warmth from the winter weather when most of the homes they come from don’t have heating. But it’s still lacking key elements of education needed in all elementary schools: books, desks and chairs to name a few.

It all started when Michelle Luderitz, a sophomore elementary education and Spanish major and president of Habitat for Humanity, observed the conditions at the school. She noticed that the youngest book was older than the oldest student, filing cabinets were being used as desks and the number of encyclopedias on the shelf were no where near the amount that an elementary school should have.

“Some of the students read on grade levels three years below their own and struggled to get through ’If You Give a Mouse a Cookie’ as a fifth grader,” Luderitz said.

Since November, Habitat for Humanity has collected donations for the school and finally delivered them yesterday morning.

“It’s been a long, drawn-out process,” said junior Spanish major and fundraising chair for Habitat for Humanity Robert Taclan.

According to Taclan and Luderitz, they delivered items included donations of 10 or 11 globes from El Círculo de Español, arts and craft supplies from the Art Education Association, TVs, VCRs, DVD players and roughly 1,500 books from other groups and individuals from Rowan students and staff and the surrounding community. A collaboration was also made with the Engineers Without Borders to build and design 30 bookshelves for the school.

The school is overwhelmingly grateful for the efforts made by Habitat for Humanity.

“They’ve been excellent to providing the school with resources,” said W.F. Powell Elementary School’s math coach Tracy Thompson. “It’s very humble. We greatly appreciate it.”

Habitat for Humanity’s next step in helping the elementary school is holding the first-ever, home-run derby fundraising event on Thursday, April 29 at the intramural field from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The home-run derby’s goal is to collect enough money to provide new bookshelves to the school.

There will be various prizes that will go to one lucky male, female and organization. In addition, all equipment will be provided to every participant, as well as the use of pitching machines.

Many have already confirmed on the Facebook page that they will make an appearance in the home run derby. Freshman chemical engineer major and Habitat for Humanity’s treasurer Kelly Barb hopes that the event will have a large turnout.

“We have great prizes,” Barb said “It’s for a very noble cause.”

Habitat for Humanity is asking students to come out and donate next week, have a good time and help elementary students in doing so.

Tickets are available at the Student Center info desk and are set at $5 a person. ‘Boro Bucks are accepted as a form of payment. The home run derby is open to all students and faculty, so no athletic experience is necessary in order to enter.

-Contributions made by Julissa Mesa