During our #InnovateForGoodCampaign, we’re featuring stories of innovators who inspire us. Today, we’re sharing the excellent work of high school students at Bishop O’Dowd High School to raise awareness around the issue of human trafficking and generate funds for Not For Sale’s programs around the world.
Students Against Exploitation
Every year at Bishop O’Dowd High School, the Campus Ministry Team (CMT), a group of fourteen senior leaders selects an international organization to benefit from a weeklong mission drive. This year, after significant research, CMT narrowed its interest to human trafficking, and Not For Sale immediately caught our attention. We decided to choose this particular organization because of its promise that our contributions would truly have a lasting impact instead of a superficial one. We made it our mission to educate the student body at O’Dowd about how Not For Sale works with communities around the world to end exploitation by creating self-sustaining social and economic projects.
To promote Mission Drive Week, CMT distributed posters with information about Not For Sale along with basic statistics about human trafficking. We also hosted daily lunchtime activities to engage students and raise more funds. One of our more popular activities was “Pie in the Face,” which gave students the opportunity to throw a whipped cream pie at a CMT member, friend, or faculty in exchange for a donation. CMT also partnered with the UNICEF club on campus, which led a human trafficking trivia activity that rewarded correct answers with Fair Trade certified treats.
$4,504.00 Raised for Not For Sale!
On Wednesday, Bishop O’Dowd welcomed Mark Wexler, the Co-Founder of Not For Sale, to present at a school-wide assembly. Mark discussed his motivation for creating impact through NFS, highlighting how relationships with strong women like Kru Nam have shaped his worldview. The presentation ended up generating a total of $580 in donations! Following Mark, CMT recapped details from the presentation through a trivia session and game. Overall, the assembly was a great platform to educate the student body and encourage participation in the anti-human trafficking movement. The whole O’Dowd community would like to thank Mr. Wexler for his inspiring presentation.
After a week of activities, O’Dowd raised a total of $4,504 for Not For Sale. CMT is proud to have succeeded in raising awareness among the O’Dowd community about NFS’s mission to end human trafficking through a sustainable, comprehensive campaign.
