So. Lehigh 6th-Graders Raising Money for Typhoon Relief Effort

Some conscientious and motivated sixth-graders in the Southern Lehigh School District have been busy participating in a "coin drive" that will benefit typhoon relief efforts in the Philippines, their teacher Bob Fluck reported Friday.

Fluck, who teaches sixth grade social studies at the Joseph P. Liberati Intermediate School, said the idea for the fundraising effort came out of a current events discussion involving the recent natural disaster in the Philippines, half a world away.

The Philippines were devastated earlier this month by Super Typhoon Haiyan, which has left much of the island nation in ruins and resulted in more than 3,600 deaths, according to the latest published reports.

"The kids had an understanding because of [Superstorm] Sandy last year what it was like to be involved in a natural disaster, and we thought it would be good to help in any way we could," Fluck explained in an email.

Fluck said he turned the fundraising effort into a competitive challenge for students by telling them that "the team with the most change would have some extra recess as well as a Cafe Day on Nov. 27."

He said that at the start of the challenge Wednesday he thought his students would end up raising about $100, but as of Friday they had already raised more than $600 through their collection of loose change.

"I am so proud of them and their awesome showing of generosity for a country that has been decimated by this natural disaster," Fluck said.

He added that the coin drive will continue through Wednesday, Nov. 20, and that he's excited to see how much money is raised in total.

Photo: The Philippines were recently devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Patch file photo).