2 Dec 2009
24 Cents Campaign Goes Districtwide
DALLAS—The Dallas ISD Teen School Board is on a mission to take a student-driven, fundraising project districtwide to raise money to build a house for L.G. Pinkston High School defensive back Jared Williams who was paralyzed during a football game against North Dallas High School earlier this year.
Through Project 24, the number of the injured players' jersey, Dallas ISD students will have a chance to donate 24 cents each to help build Williams and his family a new home designed for his disabilities. Williams, now in rehabilitation, is paralyzed from the waist down, and his current home does not accommodate his special needs.
Thanks to student body leaders at Pinkston, the Teen School Board agreed to take on Project 24 and take the project to the district's 225 schools. Collection buckets will be placed at each Dallas ISD campus so students can participate.
Students hope to raise $50,000 to help build a house for Williams, and Builders Hope of West Dallas has agreed to donate the additional $40,000 needed to make the house a reality.
Dallas ISD has more than 157,000 students, and if fundraising efforts are successful, Project 24 could raise nearly $38,000. Students from Pinkston and North Dallas High School have committed to raising the remainder through car washes and a number of other fundraising efforts.
Anyone can contribute to the students' efforts by donating to Project 24 at any Bank of America. The Teen Board hopes that Project 24 will help this family, faced with limited resources and mounting medical bills, rebuild their lives.
Dallas ISD students are showing improvement on college readiness indicators… and (the district) has shown improvement on Broad Prize indicators. Among the comparison Texas urban districts, only Houston ISD slightly outperforms Dallas ISD."