Students and staff at Horizons on the Hudson Elementary School in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District recently donated $429 to the J/P Haitian Relief Organization following their “Recycle to Rebuild” drive. Bins were set up throughout the school to collect recyclables, which were then gathered by the school’s National Elementary Honor Society students and brought to a recycling center in exchange for cash. The drive was spearheaded by one of the school’s teachers, Wenda Rodriguez Rivera, as an effort to support recovery work in Haiti.

The J/P Haitian Relief Organization, which was started by the actor Sean Penn, was selected by the officers of the Honor Society after they researched a number of different groups. The students said they appreciated the variety of outreach programs sponsored by J/P.                                      

Fourth and fifth grade students are recommended to join the Honor Society chapter by demonstrating the four qualities exemplified by the organization, including scholarship, responsibility, service and leadership.