Save the wildlife, Australia strong

As Australia suffocates in brushfire smoke, many students at SJHS felt the need to lend some sort of hand in helping the recovery efforts. Madison Jackson, 10, along with Interact Club, took the initiative to provide us an opportunity to donate. During lunches, Interact members are selling bracelets to raise money for the animals suffering from the natural disaster taking place.

“I noticed that the wildfires were destroying more of the habitats and more of the animals than everybody thought, and I knew that there was a way that we could try and help.”

Though every Australian state is experiencing wildfire damage, New South Wales has taken the hardest hit, with over 100 fires still ablaze, according to CNN. Not only are these fires destroying homes and habitats, but the smoke is also harming the environment and citizens—at one point, the air quality in Sydney was 11 times more than the “hazardous” level. 

Cause of the fires ranges from lightning strikes to alleged arson, and all causes are worsened by the drought that is taking place in Australia, which is possibly attributed to climate change.

According to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, the fires have destroyed 916 homes so far this season. Many scientists have been working to calculate the number of animal deaths; most estimations are in the hundred millions.

Madison Jackson noticed the lacking attention on perishing wildlife and hoped to take the local Interact Club and use it to make a bigger impact. After doing some research on what is needed in Australia and companies that can help with the fundraiser, Madison implemented her idea in the school.

“I noticed that the wildfires were destroying more of the habitats and more of the animals than everybody thought, and I knew that there was a way that we could try and help,” she said. “So I decided, what if we made a piece of clothing, or what if we did a little thing that everybody could wear, and I thought of the wristbands.”

The Interact Club sold wristbands at lunch for a week in February, and plan to take this initiative not only to Upton Middle School but also all three elementary schools. The high school raised a total of around $300 of proceeds to be donated to Australian wildlife recovery efforts.

photos by sky stockton