August 29/2010
Our team of 22 students and 4 teachers returned to Shanghai on June 26th, after a two week visit to Malawi. We were fortunate to spend 5 days with the students and teachers at the Jacaranda School. Our experience was so rich and rewarding that we want to continue to support this wonderful school. You can see some of the student's reflections at our online school newspaper.
http://www.eagleonline.org/?p=2187#more-2187
Our campaign for the new school year will begin soon. Please continue to supporrt our effots and the Jacaranda School.
June 4/2010
Thank you to the SAS student Business Club for their donation of 5000 RMB or approximately $730. These funds will support the nursing program at Jacaranda.
May 30/2010
Today is Graduation Day at SAS Puxi. Congratulations to all 160 graduates. Anita, Danny, Eunice, Lindsay, Lisa, Marno, Meredith, Paige, and Sarah, in honor of your accomplishments and all you have done for Jacaranda I will donate $500 to Jacaranda. I will hand deliver this donation to Marie while we are at the school in June and have it set aside for Jacaranda's class of 2010. Thank you for being a part of the first SAS team to visit Jacaranda. It was an experience of a lifetime. Please continue to think of Jacaranda as you move through college. I hope that one day you will be able to visit again, I am sure you will be welcomed with open arms and to the sounds of the students singing WELCOME! You have made me so proud. Mr. Burke
May 28/2010
Thank you Emy Nissl for your monthly donations this school year. The $600 will support the nursing program at Jacaranda. We will miss not having you on the trip in June, but I know your spirit will be with us. Jacaranda appreciates your kindness.
May 24/2010
Thank you to the nurses at Shanghai American School for their $300 donation to the nursing program at the Jacaranda School. Special thanks to Melissa Maloney for coordinating the effort!
May 12/2010
Rugby for Jacaranda donated $800. This donation is a combination of funds collected from several interanational schools in Shanghai. Thank you to all the students that participated and for Terry Leipold for coordinating the event.
May 8/2010
The annual Golf Classic at SAS was held today and for the second year in a row the proceeds will support Jacaranda. A total of $1400 was raised . A big thanks to Todd Parham and all the staff that participated in this event. The money raised will go towards the nursing program and a clinic for the school. Thank you everyone!
May 06/2010
A big thanks to Joe Gabriele of Peppertree Wines for their generous support of The Jacaranda School through their Jacaranda Wine Project. To date they have donated over $2000 to help support the nurse program at the Jacaranda school. Thank you Joe!. Please contact me if your would like information about this project.
Apr 22/2010
Thanks to everyone that participated in the silent auction at the second annual chili cook off. The total raised was approximately $730. Special thanks to Tom Horton for donating excellent photographs and Ellen Levenhagen and her HS school art students for their art work. These funds will support the nursing program at Jacaranda School.
Mar 12/2010
The news is that the total from the carpet auction was approximately $17,426. This is a beautiful day for Jacaranda. The students will be forever grateful for this extremely generous donation from the PTSA at Shanghai American School. Thank you so much!
The Jacaranda School will get Science Labs. Let the construction begin.
http://www.eagleonline.org/?p=1378
Feb 6/2010
This day goes down as the biggest one-day fundraising event for Jacaranda so far. Tonight, the PTSA hosted the annual carpet auction and to say it was a success would not do it justice. A beautiful evening of wine sponsored by PepperTree, great conversation, laughter, and of course some amazing carpets brought in by Eastern Carpets of Singapore. Edmund, thank you for entertaining us as the auctioneer! An additional part of the event was a silent auction of items donated by the SAS community. The numbers are in for that portion and we have raised $4561. Outstanding!! Thank you to everyone who donated items for the auction and the members of the PTSA of Shanghai American School for hosting the event. Three of these ladies deserve special thanks, Karen Chow, Janie Haskell and Jane Smith. Without your efforts, none of this would have been possible. Jacaranda is now even closer to getting their science classrooms. Check back again for updates after the final numbers come in.
Jan 14/2010
The Middle School Language Department, Spanish, French and Chinese, at Shanghai American School have donated 5330 RMB, approx $775 from their Christmas fund raising project. A huge thank you to all the students and parents and especially the teachers for organizing the different activities. Jacaranda appreciates your support.
Nov 28/2009
Tom Horton donated 2000 RMB or $290 from his recent birthday celebration. Thank you TOM!
Nov 20/2009
A big thank you goes out to the Grade 2 students at Shanghai American School Puxi Campus for donating the proceeds from their pizza party and movie night. Their donation was 7600 RMB which is approximately $1110. Thanks to all the teachers for organizing this event.
Oct 24/09
Happy Birthday Marie. You have done so much for the children at the Jacaranda School. They have a wonderful and caring environment in the school that you started. Today is your day and we honor you.
Sept 29/09
Marie Da Silva landed in Shanghai 9 days ago and her leaving today has left us feeling somewhat empty. She has made a lasting impression on thousands of children, teachers and parents. Marie has changed us by teaching us about compassion and humanity in all she does for the children at the Jacaranda School. Our desire to continue working with her, is now only stronger. The goal to raise $35,000 is almost 25% completed due to great efforts this past week. We will build science labs for the Jacaranda School and I hope you will want to help us.
Sept 26/09
Another great day for Jacaranda. Today Marie spent time at the International Fair at Shanghai American School and our Jacaranda booth earned about $1050 from the sale of T-shirts and Jacaranda necklaces. There are lots left.
Sept 25/09
A huge thanks to Doug Hundley and the Performance Arts Centre at Shanghai American School for their donation of approximately $5400 from the presentation of the Kung Fu performance tonight. WOW! The show itself was spectacular and only out matched by this very generous donation. The Jacaranda School is now much closer to getting those proper science labs. Thank you to everyone that purchased tickets.
Sept 23/09
Marie Da Silva arrived in Shanghai on Sept 20th and is here until Sept 29th. She did presentations at Shanghai Singapore International School on Sept 21st and Hangzhou International School on Sept 22nd. HIS has raised over 7000 RMB for the Jacaranda School which is approximately $1000. Thanks to Michael Maki and all the students and teachers at HIS for their generous donation. Today Marie made her first appearance at Shanghai American School spending time with Middle School. Ms. Williams Grade 6 MUN class donated about $250 and one student, Sabrina Choi donated $120. This is a fantastic start to our fund raising campaign. Thanks to everyone that helped. Tomorrow Marie is in the High School at SAS.
June 17th, 2009 will always remain a very special day for so many of us. This was the day that 18 students, 5 teachers, and 1 parent, myself included, arrived at the gate of the Jacaranda School. We came from Shanghai American School to meet and get to know the students and teachers, and so began 3 emotional days of the most wonderful experience of my life. What we discovered beyond that gate was a small school that is making a huge difference in the lives of the children that are orphans due to AIDS. Marie Da Silva, a CNN hero, has poured her heart and soul into this school and when you meet her, you know why she is a hero to so many. The beautiful children at the Jacaranda School have so much potential and are the future of Malawi and all thanks to Marie, Luc and the people who help support this foundation. We have bonded with these students and teachers and now realize they are no different than we are. In fact, we have more in common than we thought. We want to continue supporting the Jacaranda School and bring hope to these students.
Our first fundraising campaign was such a success. Our target goal was to raise $25,000 and through an outpouring of generosity from around the world we raised approximately $31,000. This money has been used to build bathrooms and purchase school books. The remaining funds will go towards new projects. Have a look at our old page:
http://www.firstgiving.com/sas-habitat
This year we would like to raise money to build and equip science labs. Many of the children dream of one day being a nurse or a doctor and without proper science education in school, their goals become unattainable. Who knows, maybe one of these children will help in discovering a cure for AIDS. We will also visit the Jacaranda School again in 2010.
After visiting the school, I know that any donation, no matter how big or small will be used for the maximum benefit of the children. Our visit has changed us. Our hearts are larger and our desire to help even stronger. I hope you will consider supporting our project.
Have a look at the Jacaranda Foundation website. Here you will find all kinds of information about the school, meet Marie Da Silva, and see how Barack Obama is now connected to the school.
http://www.jacarandafoundation.org/