Salem, MA - The Hurricane Katrina disaster is bringing out an instinct to help from schools, churches and groups all over the world. However, students at The Greenhouse School are taking a unique approach to helping victims of Katrina--and one that is familiar at the same time. The small school on Boston's North Shore caters to a large proportion of low income families, and faces the daily financial struggle of most such organizations. "We're usually scrounging to raise money for our own programs," says Assistant Director Julia Nambalirwa-Lugudde, "But this is something incredibly important. We wanted to do something, like a lot of people, but we wanted it to be special and in line with how we work.

Marcus and Hector, two students at The Greenhouse School in Salem, MA, carefully lay out a part of the pattern for a quilt they are making to auction off in order to raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Nambalirwa-Lugudde and her colleague, Susan Wright, spent the better part of a day brainstorming with the kids, and what finally emerged was to make and auction a quilt that pays special homage to the culture of New Orleans.

How much do they hope to raise? The kids are hoping to attract the attention of someone in the entertainment industry. "You never know," says Nambalirwa-Lugudde, "but it could be one of those things where someone comes out of the blue and bids $500,000." Wishful thinking? Only time will tell. But whatever the final tally, the kids intend to use it all to help families hurt by the floods. And the lesson they will learn from putting their compassion into practice? Priceless.

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