"What can you give up for people in need? What will you do with the blessings God has given you?" The students at Crescenta Valley Adventist School listened and watched a brief video depicting the relative wealth of middle class America compared to those in need in other countries.

During a school-wide chapel, Aimee Leukert, principal, presented the CVAS students with the idea of giving and sharing — specifically through the annual ADRA gift catalog. The students learned about different project possibilities and were encouraged to work as a class to pick a goal and work toward it over the next month. There would be no limitations on how little or how much a class should raise; the goal was simply to motivate students to look beyond themselves, recognize the needs of others and make a difference.

The students' enthusiasm for the project was immediate and palpable. "My students spent all their free time in class flipping through the catalog and discussing different project ideas with their classmates," said Shelley Higgins, sixth grade teacher.

In the weeks to follow, the campus came alive with fundraisers of all sorts. The first grade held a walk-a-thon, second grade opted for a read-a-thon, third and fourth grades sold treats at a bake sale, and sixth grade sold muffins, fruit and juice at a breakfast event.

At the end of their week of prayer in March, each class presented its total earnings and the projects they chose to sponsor. The students' dedication resulted in gifts that included 62 loaves of bread, one pedicab, six goats, 20 pairs of shoes, a flock of chickens and 20 hot lunches. Additionally, classes raised enough money to sponsor five children's dental visits, two birthing kits for pregnant women, clean water for families in Thailand, 15 immunizations, a year's worth of tuition for 20 students, Christmas presents for another 20 children and three months' worth of medicine for a village of 1,000. Some funds were also supplied to refurbish a school cafeteria and plant 500 trees in Brazil.

In all, CVAS students raised $2,500. "The students really exceeded all of our expectations for this project," said Leukert. "I'm so proud of how hard they worked and what they gave up in order to make a difference to strangers around the world. We're thrilled that our students have learned to celebrate the joy of giving to others."