February 2, 2010, Yarmouth, Maine: The North Yarmouth Academy (NYA) Middle School held a Fun Night on Friday, January 29 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Curtis Building on campus. The event was open to all 106 sixth, seventh and eighth graders at NYA and included open gym, games, food and dancing. Participants were asked to bring a donation of $5.00 or more to go directly to the Haitian relief effort. The students raised over $900 and selected Theo's Work, Inc./FreeTheKids.org, a non-profit organization that helps the poor of Haiti, as their donation recipient.
Before the event, a stirring video detailing the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti created by Middle School Dean of Students Nate Smith with production help by Matt Lapoint ('16, Freeport), Alex Logan ('14, Brunswick), Emma Randall ('14, Lisbon Falls), Lisette Labbe ('14, Limerick), Bryce Tetreault ('14, Yarmouth) and Hannah Look ('15, Falmouth), was shown to a silent room of Middle School students and their teachers. The video was also emailed to all NYA students, faculty and staff.
NYA eighth grader Forrest Chicoine's father Ron, a Lewiston anesthesiologist, is currently in Les Cayes, Haiti, based at an orphanage supported by Freethekids.org. He is treating patients suffering from injuries related to the earthquake and its aftermath. An email sent from Dr. Chicoine last Saturday detailed his work in Haiti and the struggles he is facing as he tries to help patients who are injured. "We hoped to find a worthy organization with an NYA connection, thus we selected Freethekids.org," said Paul Errickson, Head of the Upper School.
This is the first time the Middle School has hosted a Fun Night, and the hope is that it provided an entertaining option for students as they started their weekend but also offered an opportunity for students to help a country in need. "We thought it would be a great chance to get Middle School students together for some good times and also a way to raise money to help a country in need," said Errickson. "We had a big turnout and raised a lot of money," he said.
North Yarmouth Academy is an independent, college preparatory, coeducational day school serving students in grades 5 through 12. NYA is dedicated to fostering integrity, character and intellect in young adults.
For more information, please contact:
Kristi Belesca
Director of Community Development and Communications
North Yarmouth Academy
148 Main Street
Yarmouth, ME 04096
207-846-2380 ext. 9305
kbelesca@nya.org