They made a difference

Rosalind Bliss' eighth-grade AVID class at McKenney Intermediate School in Marysville will be featured in the Sunday edition of the Appeal-Democrat's USA Weekend section as one of hundreds of schools recognized for their efforts during Make a Difference Day 2006.

When relatives of eighth-grader Ibrahim Kahn died in an earthquake-ravaged area of Pakistan, fellow students in his Advancement Via Individual Determination class raised more than $1,000 to send to his uncle.

“The money really helped a lot, because they used it and got everything they needed,” Kahn, 13, said Wednesday. “They needed tents, food, water; you guys really helped.”

Debbie Baggett, marketing director for the A-D, presented the class with a certificate in honor of its effort during the three-week period, which included car washes, bake sales and selling handmade crafts, such as starfinders and kaleidoscopes.

“You are a very, very awesome class,” Baggett told the group of about 25. “You should be very proud of yourselves.”

One of Kahn's classmates, Marisela Vargas, told Baggett about Kahn's plight, and said he was the reason they decided to raise money.

“We wanted to help him out,” she said. “We just got a lot of people involved to help.”

Bliss's class was featured on a KNVN Channel 24 news story, which Bliss showed during the presentation.

“I think we really did make a difference,” she said. “It was an amazing effort for three weeks.”

Appeal-Democrat reporter Kymm Mann can be reached at 749-4707 or kmann@appeal-democrat.com.