UNICEF Uses Smartphone App to Raise Funds
Priscilla Ng
Staff Writer
American High School’s UNICEF Club spent the week of February 18 to 21 raising money for the recently launched Tap Project.
“Although it is our club’s fundraising week, we wanted to use our week at school to raise money to go towards UNICEF as an international organization,” junior and co-event commissioner Jenna Edra said.
According to the UNICEF website, the Tap Project is a campaign that uses funds to provide clean water and sanitation to children around the world.
“American High is participating by donating any amount of money to officers or the donation jar in SAC,” senior and treasurer Roger Lee said. “All the donations will go directly to the campaign.”
Besides physical donations, students also participated by accessing the Tap Project app on their smartphones. For every ten minutes that students did not touch their phones, UNICEF donated one day’s supply of water to a child in need.
“I think it’s a really cool idea to use smartphone apps as a way to donate,” senior Lena Yen said. “A lot of people have smartphones nowadays and sacrificing ten minutes of their time is something that anyone can do.”
The UNICEF Club set a goal of raising $100 during the week; as of Wednesday, February 19, they have raised $65.
“To give people an extra incentive to donate, our officers borrowed an idea from San Jose’s Independence High School’s UNICEF Club,” Edra said. “If we reach our goal of raising $100, Roger and I are willing to do any school-appropriate dare that students come up with.”
With the goal already more than halfway fulfilled, the UNICEF Club is looking towards future events and collaborations.
“We have an upcoming bake sale planned at Forest Park,” Lee said. “We are also in the midst of planning a charity dinner, joining forces with Independence, Evergreen Valley, Leland, Milpitas, and Piedmont Hills High Schools.”
Eagle Era 