The Shipley Chapter of Students Taking Action Against Darfur Now (STAND)—one of the only high school chapters in the country—spearheaded the fund- and awareness-raising event. Students were asked to give up one luxury item for the day (like a grande mocha latte or that late-afternoon snack from the school store) and donate their savings to help support the cause. Additional money was raised through the sale of Darfur wristbands and a t-shirt designed by Shipley senior Alexi Aberant and silk-screened by senior Mike Armstrong.

Shipley senior Alice Bosley said of STAND’s goals for the year, “We want to make this really big. I’m really excited to see where it takes us.” Bosley first heard about STAND this summer while attending a Tufts University International Relations program in France. She emailed STAND’s regional director for the Mid-Atlantic States, who provided her with the necessary resources to launch a Shipley STAND chapter.

STAND co-heads include Mike Armstrong, Alice Bosley, Danny Costanza, and Molly Cousins. The group, which boasts a total membership of over 30 students, will continue to raise money and awareness about Darfur throughout the year. Plans include screenings of films that deal with themes related to genocide in Darfur. The group also hopes that cultivating relationships with students at other area schools will help spread the impact of their efforts.

For more information about STAND, visit the group’s website.