Cornelia Connelly School draws attention to human rights and worldwide issues

Cornelia Connelly School began a month-long rally Dec. 10, in observance of International Human Rights Day, which began in 1950 to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly.

Connelly students accepted a challenge at a Respect Rally held earlier this year - a challenge to initiate a fundraiser to embody sisterhood and global community. The first two weeks of December, students encouraged their families, and the school's alumnae, supporters and staff and faculty to act on that pledge by helping others obtain simple rights.

The students' actions, not words, lead to these results:  

• "FREE THE DALITS" BRACELETS: Sophomore students in Connelly's ethics and social justice class sold $2 teal-colored Free the Dalits bracelets. The students who purchased and wore the Dalits bracelet enjoyed a free-dress day on Friday, Dec. 10. The $500 raised from the sale of the bracelets and handmade jewelry items help sponsor the education of a Dalit girl in India. Alumna Gaby Espejo '10 traveled to India in January to work with a restoration program for Dalit girls who have been victims of human trafficking. Gaby was on campus Dec. 10 to sell T-shirts to raise money for the program.
• BUILDING EDUCATION: Students answering the challenge from the Respect Rally in the fall worked with The Central Asia Institute, an organization dedicated to promoting a good education for young girls in the remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The project was introduced by junior Valerie Alcaraz and sophomore Arfa Khan. The students sold handmade jewelry, purses and other items made by the students in India to raise money to help build a school for girls in Pakistan.
• TOOTHBRUSHES COLLECTED: Connelly junior, Katherine Scavo collected more than 500 toothbrushes for children in Dalit orphanages. Many of the children in India's orphanages never see dentists and suffer from gum disease and loss of teeth. Connelly students are working with Harvest India to collect 5,000 toothbrushes for the children. Connelly alumnae who are in dental careers were also contacted and asked to donate toothbrushes.
• SMALL GIFTS FOR CHILDREN: Connelly's Random Acts of Kindness Club members, students and Connelly family members filled 27 shoeboxes with small gifts for boys and girls between the ages of 2-4, 5-9 and 10-14. Students also were asked to include a note to each child. The Random Acts of Kindness Club is working with Operation Christmas Child to provide these simple gifts to children in third-world countries.