Have you ever sent a water buffalo to Romania using spare change?
For one local group of civic-minded high school students, the answer to that seemingly random question is, yes, it has.
The Junior State of America is a national, non-profit organization that promotes state and civic activities for high school students with interests such as politics, government, foreign affairs, law and education.
In addition to student debates, thought talks, problem solving and simulations, part of the organization’s mission is for students to participate in activism.
That’s where the water buffalo comes in.
Medford resident Andy Laberee, 15, is the director of fundraising and activism for the JSA’s local Renaissance Council Chapter, which is comprised mostly of 20 or so homeschooled students from the Burlington County area.
Laberee said he first presented the RCC with the idea of sending a water buffalo to Romania after having learned about Heifer International, a non-profit organization that fights poverty and world hunger using sustainable means.
Heifer will take donations and then help needy people in other countries by sending pigs, chickens, cows, water buffalo and other animals to families where those animals can be used for farming purposes for years to come.
“The idea is that it’s much more sustainable than a package of food because this will continue to give back for one or two generations, so it’s a much more long-lasting gift,” Laberee said.
Once Laberee laid out his idea and the group agreed to raising the money, Laberee said the group added the extra challenge of seeing how much it could raise simply by collecting its spare change.
As it turns out, 20 or some high school students pooling their spare change over a few weeks will total about $245, nearly most of the $250 needed to donate for the water buffalo.
Tabernacle resident Becky Shults, 16, president of the RCC, said Laberee’s idea just took off with the group and everyone got to work.
“You buy something, you get the change, you put it in a jar and collect it,” Shults said. “We did that for a weeks and cashed it in and had enough for a water buffalo.”
Shults said she believes the idea proved popular with the group because it was something different for an activism activity and something it had never heard of any other chapter attempting.
“This wasn’t a parent’s idea. This wasn’t organized by some big company. This was just high school students buying a water buffalo for a village in Romania, and we wanted to do to it,” Shults said. “Even though we’re seniors and juniors and sophomores even, we can still do something to make a difference for not only our country but other countries that are in need.”
Laberee said the RCC will eventually receive confirmation that the water buffalo has arrived, along with the satisfaction of knowing it made a difference.
He said activities and projects such as this one are what make the group an attractive possibility for any young person interested civics and the world around them.
“It helps you form your own opinions about things and helps you build confidence with public speaking and general confidence with things, and there’s just thousands of great opportunities with fundraising,” Laberee said. “It’s a great resource for young people to learn.”
Shults echoed Laberee’s sentiments, and said any high school-aged student with the slightest interest in anything surrounding politics, government and public speaking would definitely benefit from joining the JSA.
“We welcome people from all the South Jersey area of any education background, and we would be more than happy to get them involved,” Shults said.
Those interested in joining the group can contact Shults at Shults98@gmail.com.
