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Hi, my name is Emily  from Literacy First Charter School. I am a fifth grader and we are doing a fundraiser called Pennies for Pencils. This is a fundraiser to build schools in Ecuador. We have done this last year and we watched videos, researched this problem and it was so sad to see what these kids were going through. Kids did not get an education and had to spend the whole day working and fetching water. This may concern you because you do not have enough money to give a lot or you do not know where the money is going. Well the money is going to build houses in Ecuador and every penny counts. It does not have to be hundreds of dollars it can be a few dollars, and that can change someone’s life! Our goal is to raise 16,500 to build two schools this year. But my own personal goal is to keep helping the kids in Ecuador go to school.

I think this is a huge problem. Kids are pushed to be adults when they are 6,7 or younger. I think that they should have a chance to be a kid. They should have an education. And we have to build these 2 more schools so this can happen. I have three reasons why we want to build more schools. My first reason is that a lot of kids don’t get free education. But if we build those two schools ,that we wanted to build, then more kids could get an education.  My second reason is (I found this on www.freethechildren.com)  “ 133 million young people around the world don’t know how to read or write.” This can be changed by us building our 2nd and 3rd schools in Ecuador. Kids do not have to be working when they are 6 or 7 anymore, they can go to school. They don’t have to be adults so fast and they can be kids for awhile. My third reason is that school is too expensive for some families in Ecuador. They do not get free education like we do. By giving them these schools they can go to school for free. By helping, you can change their futures. Help the kids have a better life in Ecuador.

I still think that this is a big problem. A solution would be made by you donating 20-30 dollars. You can donate more if you want or less. But please help these kids in Ecuador. Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for considering this. I hope you will help. If you want to donate then send money to the address at the bottom of this letter. You have till May 14 to donate. Please donate to help these kids have a better future.

Sincerely,

Emily
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Dear Neighbor,

My name is Heather and I am only 11 years old. I am a fifth grader at Literacy First Charter School. I have heard of a problem in Ecuador where kids don’t get education like we do in America. So we are trying to raise money to build at least three schools in Ecuador so kids there can have an education. My school’s goal is to raise $16,000. If we won’t be able achieve that goal, the kids in Ecuador won’t have education like we do here in America. The kids there need education like us. I know that there are many reasons that you wouldn't want to donate, but you could donate any loose change or probably less than a dollar or two. We need your help to raise the money. If you help us raise the money, you will be known as a hero to help out the children in Ecuador. You may think this is too good to be true, but at least donate any change to help these children. 

If we do not raise enough money for these schools, kids in Ecuador will live with no job or education. Many kids in other countries don't get a free education. Some kids can't afford to go to school in Ecuador. The schools there are sometimes too expensive. The kids there aren’t even learning to read or write. We get to go to school so why can't they? Only 10% of the kids there go to school. However, with your help and the help of others, the 10% can be raised higher. Can you just imagine not being able to send your child to school? What if you weren’t able to go to school? Think of others and how they sometimes aren’t learning anything. You have a future, so think of their future.

We need your help. So I am asking you if you would like to donate to help us achieve that goal. If you would, that would be a life changing moment for the kids in Ecuador who can't afford to go to school. Every penny counts.



For more information please visit www.freethechildren.com. This fundraiser ends May 17,2013. So please act now. Please mail money to, Literacy First 1012 E. Bradley Ave. The memo should be, Mrs.Gantes Pennies for Pencils.

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                                                                                    Sincerely,
                                                                                      Heather



Dear Starbucks,

My name is Justin. I am a fifth grader at Literacy First Charter School. I am writing because I came across a horrible problem. Kids in Ecuador can’t go to school. I was devastated when I heard about this. I know that you might be considering that you won't have enough money, but anything helps. My goal is to raise at least 16,000 dollars with my school. They can’t get an education like we can, and probably won’t get good jobs, and won’t have enough money to survive.

Kids in Ecuador can’t get a good job if they don’t get a good education and they won’t get . According to www.freethechildren.com “133 million young people around the world cannot read or write.” Without these skills they, like I said before, won’t get any jobs because most jobs need for them to read and write. Instead of learning in school,  the kids have to work all day. I think that the kids should all go to school instead of work. I also think they should go to school for free. It’s not right to keep the kids from learning. They will need of those skills when they grow up and if they don’t have those skills, that’s a big piece of their life that’s missing. Without that journey of education in life you would be missing all those abilities. How would you feel if your child couldn’t go to school and probably get a bad job. This is what most of the parents in Ecuador are feeling.

I’m trying to raise money for kids in Ecuador to go to school. I know you guys can help. I will accept anything even pennies. Together I know for sure we can raise enough money to help the kids in Ecuador go to . Please send your donation money in by May 14, 2013. Please send the money to 1012 E. Bradley Ave memo. Mrs. Gantes pennies for pencils.                               

Thank you,
                          Justin



To Whom It May Concern,

Hello, my name is Craig. I am writing for and about “Pennies for Pencils.”This is an organization that works to get kids education. The problem I am writing about is that kids in Ecuador aren't able to get education easily but they can get it it is just hard . I would like to ask you if you could donate money for our fundraiser. But if you are thinking that this is a scam, let me tell you the facts. “Pennies for Pencils” has been going on for awhile  and all the money will go to build a school in Ecuador. To prove that this is not a scam last year we were able raise $11,800 and were able to build a school and a clean water well. Also if you think you don't have enough money,  every penny counts.

I care about this fundraiser because America’s children are able to have great education from our school. You should think about how you were able to go to school and the kids in Ecuador aren’t able to go to school. I think you should donate because it is the right thing to do to help the children. You should agree with me because if you switched it around and thought if the kids in Ecuador have school but the kids in America don’t have school, you would want the Ecuador kids to donate to have school. And I agree they should have education because there are some problems in life that involve thinking and that thinking could be any school subject. What we are trying to raise $16,000 and I believe we could do that because last year raised 11,800 and performed a “Minga” it is the coming together of people for good. And we are trying to perform another “Minga” and raise more than our goal like last time and I think we could do that we did it once and we can do it again. We are trying to raise more money so that we could build something extra I believe we can do that.

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I care about the children in Ecuador and so should you. If you could just donate even a penny would make a difference. The ending Date to help is May 14. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

                            Sincerely,
                Craig

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Hello, my name is Aidan. I am in 5th grade and attend Literacy First Charter School. I am writing this letter to you because we have a big issue in the country of Ecuador. Even though the problem is in a different country, I still think this is important to our world. The issue is that kids in Ecuador are doing chores instead of going to school. Our school has a goal to raise $18,000 so some of our teachers can go help build a school. $18,000 is our goal because that is enough to build 3 school for the kids in Ecuador. The reason we are able to build schools over there is because we are teaming up with a non-profit organization called Free the Children. Free the Children helps kids and families everywhere by donating their time and their money that they have all raised.  Your concern about donating might be that we are going to keep all of the money for ourselves but we’re not. Last year we raised enough money to build 1 school and 1 fresh water well in their community so they don’t have to travel 4 hours to get 2 buckets of dirty water at a time.

I think you should donate because it will give you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside that makes you feel good. Haha. When you donate, you are benefiting kids who have to pay a lot to go to school. We are trying to build free schools so those kid who usually can’t afford grade school can go. Also when you donate it gets our class closer and closer to sending our teacher to go help build the school in Ecuador. Free the Children needs all the help they can get! Another reason I think you should donate is that, if you agree with me, everyone should get a free education. Could you imagine not being able to read or write? Or could you imagine not having your child having a great education and having a bright future? Even though the problem is in a different  country, I still think that people should care. Maybe we forget that not everyone gets an education for free and they have to work hard at such a young age. These kids deserve help to have a bright future.

One way you can help is by donating. You may think that you need to donate a lot of money to help us reach our goal, but any amount will help us. If you are thinking about donating to us please donate by May 14. Thank you for your attention have a fantastic week!

                                                            Sincerely,

                                                       Aidan

Dear T.M.I.,                                                          

My name is Jordan. I am ten years old and I go to school at Literacy First Charter School. I am very pleased to tell you that I am working to make a difference in the world. My school is raising money to build some schools in Ecuador. We are building schools so that kids, big or small, can go to school. 100 % of the money donated goes to building a new school. Last year our school raised $11,800 to make a new school. We raised enough money to build a school and a well to access to fresh water. Children had to walk to get gross water they would use to drink, shower, and cook with. Now that we built a well, they don't have to walk a ways away from their homes to get the gross water. We are being challenged to double the money. I think we can do it for shore.

According to freethechildren.com ¨133 million young people cannot read or write.¨ Imagine their future, imagine their life and what it will be like without schools. It would be like a nightmare. We will be very thankful if you donate. It would make the children so happy in Ecuador to know they are getting an education. To know that when they grow up they might not be able to work and get money is devastating.  Schools will help these kids have a bright future like you. Without schools these kids might not have a good job. Then they would not have any money to buy stuff they need like food, shelter, or even comfort when they grow up. Without knowing things they will not have bright future. Their life would stink without schools because all they would do is help their family survive. All we need is to raise at least $8,000 to help this not happen. Please donate as much money as you can give. Together we can make some lives change forever.

This is a big deal because about 68 million kids did not go to school in Ecuador, before we started helping. Our goal is to build at least 2 schools. This means more kids get an education. EVERYTHING donated goes to building new schools. Our job is easy because all we have to do is donate some money. If you would like to donate put the money or check in an envelope and give it to my mom. Just wright LFCS on the envelope.

All it takes is a couple of students and some money to get a new school in a place that needs it most.
                                       Sincerely,
                                              Jordan



Dear Allan,

I am your student and before we end church school, I would like it if you would tell everybody in the class to donate to a cause that my school is working on. It is called Pennies for Pencils. You donate money for children who have to get up in 5:00 in the morning and walk 3 miles just to get water. You can give the money to Mariam, Nour, or myself. We are all  in the same school but different classes. If you don’t believe me there is a website called www.freethechildren.com  and also a penny makes a big difference. Also this year we are making a well so they don’t get tired like I told they have to get up in 5:00 in the morning and walk 3 miles and walk back with a bucket full of water.

My position is that I feel bad for these people in Ecuador. I am living in America with a free life and I don’t have to  pay money to go to a school.In addition  many kids in other countries don’t get a free education.Furthermore people have to pay a lot of money to go to school and there is not enough free schools.Also kids in ecuador have to work to go to a lot of schools and just to get an education. What would you do if your daughter grew up and was ready for preschool but she couldn’t go to preschool. If the is answer is that you’ll feel really really bad for her that’s how i feel for the children in ecuador and that’s also how you should feel for them you can also imagine if one of them was your daughter she would have to get up in 5:00 to 6:00 in the morning and walk 3 to 4 miles just to get and water and walk all the way back.

Like I told you in my last paragraph my position is that i feel really really bad for the kids in ecuador here i am living a free life in america and i don’t to pay a lot of money to go to my school. You can help if you send just a single penny or dime or nickel or even a dollar it will make a big difference. Thank you for your sparing your time to read this Allan

                                                                  Sincerely, Andrew