Keeping up the lemonade stand

Westfall – Earlier this month, students from the combined English and Social Studies classes at the Delaware Valley High School participated in a videoconference/virtual charity event titled, “Alex’s Lemonade Stand.” This community service event is in support of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a national organization that grew out of the Philadelphia front yard lemonade stand started by Alexandra Scott, a pediatric cancer patient. In 2000, at the age of four, Alex opened her stand with the goal of raising funds for pediatric cancer research. Although Alex lost her battle with cancer in 2004, her work has inspired and motivated other children around the country to carry on her charitable legacy. Delaware Valley, along with nineteen other schools across the country, is involved in this year’s annual event. Students will work for two weeks to raise money using their own lemonade stands and other fundraising efforts and report back with totals on a daily basis. Over the two weeks, involved students will collaborate through an online blog, a virtual pen pal program, special video collage projects, song and poetry contests and a lemonade stand poster contest. The event will culminate with a videoconference on Apr. 26, with special guest speaker, US Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), who will join via videoconference from Washington. Students will be able to share their accomplishments and experiences at that time. The Virtual Alex’s Lemonade Project has been coordinated by MAGPI, a regional internet networking company and Alex’s Lemonade Stand with technical support from Internet2. Delaware Valley students plan to set up lemonade stands in the school cafeterias during all lunch periods and students from the combo classes will take turns selling lemonade and taking donations. In addition, students will be reaching out to community businesses and residents to additional contributions.