North Habersham Middle School 8th grader Breeleigh Thomason has Cystic Fibrosis. She also has a dream. She wants to go to Charleston in the spring with her friends. The trip’s already planned — it’s the school’s annual 8th grade field trip — but there’s a chance some of Breeleigh’s friends won’t be on the bus when it leaves Habersham County next March. Their families can’t afford it. That breaks Breeleigh’s heart. It breaks Heather Hawkins’ heart, too. That’s why this 8th grade English language arts teacher and Builders Club sponsor is leading the charge to raise nearly $12,000 to insure no student is left behind.
She’s doing it for Breeleigh and for all the other students she obviously cares so deeply about. She’s doing it because, well, that’s who she is. Students are energized by Hawkins’ leadership. Her colleagues are impressed by it. “Ms. Hawkins is the matriarch for the 8th grade,” says NHMS 8th grade science teacher Doug Vermilya. “She is a wonderful person.”
Humbled by the praise, Hawkins credits her colleagues. “Our 8th grade teachers have come together to accomplish this mission for the kids in a way that’s guided by the hope of teaching the whole student, mind, heart, and emotion and provides students with life enriching experiences they may never have.”
May never have…that’s the catch and concern here. The trip to Charleston costs $450 per student. For more than two dozen families that’s out of reach. Chances are good that if these students can’t go on this field trip they’ll never get another opportunity like this. “This exposure for many of our students will potentially be life-altering and advantageous,” says Hawkins, “particularly for those students who are less fortunate and may never otherwise be provided travel opportunities,”
Fundraisers
For the past several months the school’s been holding fundraisers. The Builders Club hosted a parking lot yard sale in October. Forty vendors showed up and raised $1,200. Students sold candy in November and are now writing letters to local businesses asking for donations.
The next big fundraiser is an after school social on December 4th. “We are calling it the Bobcat Holiday Bash,” Hawkins says. “The City of Clarkesville loaned us their movie screen to project the movie on, and though we will not charge an admission fee, we will raise funds through the concession stand.”
READ: The Bobcat Charleston Challenge
Raising money and hope on-site and online
In addition to on-site fundraising, there’s an online fundraiser Hawkins set up through donorschoose.org called The Bobcat Charleston Challenge.
If the goal is not reached by December 30th, DonorsChoose.org will return the funds to donors through online credits and the NHMS 8th graders who need financial assistance will have to find help some other way or stay at home. That is a crushing prospect for Hawkins and for Breeleigh. The 13-year old has been in and out of the hospital a lot recently. She’s looking forward to spring…in Charleston…with her friends.
Savannah Gary is one of those friends. “I’m very excited,” she says, “this will be my first overnight field trip.”
As for Hawkins, she too is excited but for a different reason. She says it’s been “amazing” seeing the students pull together to help one another. “That,” she says, “is a story in itself!”
To donate to the Bobcat Charleston Challenge visit https://www.donorschoose.org/project/the-bobcat-charleston-challenge/1708226/ or contact Heather Hawkins at [email protected].
Featured photo at top (left to right): Ella Reynolds, Lexi Sprayberry and Savannah Gray helped out their friend Breeleigh Thomason at the NHMS parking lot yard sale on Oct. 17th. They manned Breeleigh’s booth after she was hospitalized in ICU.
