Franklin High in Baltimore County raises funds
for Franklin High in New Orleans

Librarian and Ben300! Celebration Committee Chair Ann O’Neill cutting the many birthday cakes donated by local food stores, PTSA parents, and teachers

Baltimore County’s oldest high school, Franklin High, recently joined in the national celebration of its namesake’s 300th birthday. The school honored Benjamin Franklin in countless ways, but, according to librarian and Ben300! Celebration Committee Chair Ann O’Neill “the focal point of all of this” was “Give a George for Ben!,” a campaign through which students raised $1,706.00 for Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans.

Give a George for Ben! was Franklin High’s response, led by Principal Dean P. Terry, to a request from the national Benjamin Franklin’s Integrity Project for all schools in the nation that were named for Benjamin Franklin to find some way to help Benjamin Franklin High in New Orleans, a school devastated by Hurricane Katrina. “Its entire first floor, including its library, gym, and administrative offices were all wiped out,” O’Neill said. “We have photos in a display case that show students the extent of the devastation.”

The goal for Franklin High’s campaign was set at $1,706.00 because 1706 is the year Franklin was born and the approximate number of students and staff at Franklin High. Everyone was encouraged to give a dollar. “Student Government leaders collected in homerooms,” O’Neill explained, “National Honor Society members collected at sporting events, and the PTSA made a donation. In addition, health classes collected supplies and sent several boxes to the school.”

With donations, volunteers, and other support pouring in from around the country, Benjamin Franklin High in New Orleans was able to reopen on Ben Franklin’s birthday, January 17. “That,” said O’Neill, “was a minor miracle considering that most New Orleans schools won’t open until next school year.”

In addition to the fundraising campaign, the Franklin High’s celebration included:

• Special English lessons related to several of Franklin’s famous essays
• Science and math classes participating in the worldwide penny-flipping activity sponsored by Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. (This activity, called “A Penny Flipped is Science Learned,” invited students from all over the world to flip pennies and submit their results. The goal was to see if you have a 50/50 chance of getting heads or tails. According to results posted on the Franklin Institute’s web site, heads is slightly more likely to win.)
• Students dressing in red, white, and blue on Spirit Day – January 17, Franklin’s birthday)
• Student-produced video morning announcements featuring fun trivia about Franklin as well as information about his contributions and achievements.

As a special surprise to students, teachers served them birthday cake on Franklin’s birthday. Cakes were donated by local food stores, PTSA parents, and teachers.

“That was a lot of fun,” O’Neill said. “The students were really grateful and excited, but what gave us a stronger purpose throughout all the activities was the fundraising campaign for the school in New Orleans.”

Story by Diana L. Spencer, communications officer, and Ann B. O’Neill, library media chair, Franklin High School. Photo courtesy of Franklin High School