Team effort brings aid to premature babies
By McKinley S., Gold Team

Aqua Team makes blankets and raises money

Did you know that half a million babies are born premature each year in the US alone? It's true, and our very own Aqua Team is doing their part to help those who are caring for these children.

In a team-wide effort, Aqua students made blankets and raised money to help premature babies. They made a total of 230 blankets. Students also went around to local businesses and collected money, held a raffle in the cafeteria, and had a bake sale. They raised over $4,000 from the businesses, the raffle, and the bake sale.

All the blankets and money were donated to the Tiny Miracles Foundation, which is based here in Darien . Tiny Miracles is an organization that works with hospitals' Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in Stamford , Norwalk , and Bridgeport . These deliveries help the premature children who are in intensive care unit.

Mrs. DePiano, seventh grade science teacher led this project, but this project had personal meaning to her. Mrs. DePiano had premature twins. She said, “Words couldn't express how nervous parents are when they have children in a premature ward at the hospital, because your children may have some type of complications.”

Mrs. DePiano also has a friend who had a premature baby last June that unfortunately died. That is why this project was so special to her and she helped make it special to her students as well. Mrs. DePiano said, “Not only did we do this project to benefit the premature children, but the students on the Aqua team as well. They were able to learn how to commit to a project and see it through all the way.”

As the project came to an end, Mrs. DePiano asked the students to comment on one thing they remembered from this project, and one thing positive that they were able to take from it.

Will De Rocco said, “I used to be very stingy and wouldn't spend money on anything; including charity. I donated to this (project), and now I have bought a random (not holiday or birthday) present for every person in my family. I learned to give.”

Matthew Mullen said, “One thing I will always remember is that this is the first time a fundraiser has ever really “clicked” with me. I have donated and helped with things like this in the past, but this time I really saw the direct result of where my money and time where going.”

Not only has the Aqua team helped the lives of poor, innocent babies, but helped strengthen their own as well. The teachers and students alike should be applauded for their efforts.