Cook Elementary School Sends Help to School Destroyed by Hurricane Harvey

Students creating a poster displaying "Cook Cares" in support of Hurricane Harvey.

Inspired by compassion, a group of Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) students from Cook Elementary School spearheaded a school-wide initiative to help students in Houston, Texas whose school had been devastated by Hurricane Harvey.  Students brought their ideas to Cook Elementary School Principal Sandi Ishii who made contact with Mitchell Elementary School, a small school in Houston Independent School District that was deemed a complete loss due to flooding.

In just two weeks, Cook Elementary School students raised $1,800.  Several students dipped into their piggy banks to help grow the donation. Cook Elementary School’s Student Council helped count and prepare the money for the bank and students in the Boys & Girls Club made signs of encouragement.  Students prepared a care package with letters of support, the $1,800 donation, and a Cook Lion and Mitchell Bulldog to express Cook’s support for the school and its students.

“We are so proud these young students for their compassionate hearts and service to help others in need,” said Dina Nguyen, GGUSD Board of Education trustee.  “Providing students with opportunities to develop character traits like compassion and kindness is just as important as helping them excel academically.”

Just before Hurricane Harvey hit, Mitchell Elementary School students had met their teacher and brought their personal school supplies into their classrooms.  After the hurricane, the school was under four feet of water and everything, including students’ school supplies, were lost.  The money raised by Cook students will be used to by students at Mitchell Supplies they need for school.