Haiti

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. As buildings and fences crumbled down, so did the hopes of the Haitians who watched their country crumble down. In a mere 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0- magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums that defined Haiti’s culture, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, the young and the old, the poor and the rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. 1.5 million people are left outside to fend for their own survival, homeless and trying to stay warm inside ragged homemade tents. They live on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials and patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages, many things that we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; however, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but the people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by other people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money, to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 – Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.)

Though these statistics cast out a shade of darkness and despair, stories of miracle survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith in their god to help them. A man had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. The never-tiring search rescuers and countries that gave their time and efforts for those in need embody the true human trait of compassion. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

EDIT 1

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0- magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums that defined Haiti’s culture, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by other people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money, to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 – Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.)

Though these statistics cast out a shade of darkness and despair, stories of miracle survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith in their god to help them. The story of a man had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. The never-tiring search rescuers and countries that gave their time and efforts for those in need embody the true human trait of compassion. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

EDIT 2

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0- magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums that defined Haiti’s culture, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by other people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money, to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.)

Though these statistics cast out a shade of darkness and despair, stories of miracle survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith in their god to help them. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. The never-tiring search rescuers and countries that give their time and efforts for those in need embody the true human trait of compassion. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0- magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums that defined Haiti’s culture, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by other (delete other) people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, (semicolon) sacrificing time and money, to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.)

Though these statistics cast out (delete out) a shade of darkness and despair, stories of miracle (reword) survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith in their god (change to: religion) to help them. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. The never-tiring search rescuers and countries that give their time and efforts for those in need embody the true human trait of compassion. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0- magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums that defined Haiti’s culture, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money, to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.)

Though these statistics cast a shade of darkness and despair, miraculous stories of survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith to keep them going. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. The never-tiring search rescuers and countries that give their time and efforts for those in need embody the true human trait of compassion. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0- magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, (delete comma) from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums that defined Haiti’s culture (awk), to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; (start new sentence) thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money, (delete comma) to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.)

Though these statistics cast a shade of darkness and despair, miraculous stories of survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith to keep them going. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. The never-tiring search rescuers and countries that give their time and efforts (effort) for those in need embody the true human trait of compassion. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0-magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.)

Though these statistics cast a shade of darkness and despair, miraculous stories of survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith to keep them going. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. There are never-ceasing search rescuers and compassionate countries that give their time and effort for those in need. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0-magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising. "It's heartwarming to hear of people helping out complete strangers who are in need," says freshman Lauren Kikuchi.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.) "On Feb. 12, Red Cross club and Key Club set up booths around Old Town Pasadena where passersby donated money for Haiti recovery efforts," said freshman Josephine Truong. <not sure if this should be a statement or a direct quote, what do you think?

Though these statistics cast a shade of darkness and despair, miraculous stories of survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith to keep them going. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. There are never-ceasing search rescuers and compassionate countries that give their time and effort for those in need. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

statement

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0-magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised about £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising. "It's heartwarming to hear of people helping out complete strangers who are in need," says freshman Lauren Kikuchi.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, one of the efforts happened at our very own school. From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Shoes.” (Quote from Mr. Tung/ASB student about how the drive went, about how many pairs of shoes they collected.) (Quote from Key Club/Red Cross Club on how successful their fundraisers on Feb. 12 were)

Though these statistics cast a shade of darkness and despair, miraculous stories of survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith to keep them going. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. There are never-ceasing search rescuers and compassionate countries that give their time and effort for those in need. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.

When an earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, everyone around the world felt the tremors that disintegrated the impoverished country into bits and pieces. In 30 seconds, a catastrophic 7.0-magnitude earthquake reduced Haiti’s buildings, from the rickety slums in the countryside to the magnificent museums, to unidentifiable rubble. Everyone, young and old, poor and rich, stood side by side as they experienced Mother Nature’s fury.

Losses of loved ones, shortages of supplies, and an ever-present lack of food are eminent in the city. An estimated 200,000 people have been either killed in the earthquake or lost in the mountains of rubble in the affected cities of Leogane, Jacmel, and Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Over 1 million Haitians are left outside, homeless, relying on ragged homemade tents for warmth and living on ration coupons handed out by United Nations officials. The people patiently line up for supplies such as mattresses, cutlery, and bandages - many things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives. American, French, Brazilian, and British troops quietly stand by, making sure that no riots break out. More than 50 aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and greater have hit the city in the month after the earthquake; thankfully, none of them have done any more significant damage to the country. "An overwhelming sadness comes over me when I think of it because seeing pictures of the situation or hearing news updates is horrifying. It's seems so unreal but is happening in the same world we're living in," said senior Leah Wong.

The earthquake has left devastation, loss, and ruin in Haiti’s streets, but its people’s cries for aid have been heard and answered by people all over the world. Various organizations and individuals have stepped up, sacrificing time and money to make sure aid gets to the Haitian people. Leah said, "It stinks that tragedy has to happen to bring people together, but I'm happy people come together." The American Red Cross, by reaching out to the public, has raised more than $30 million for Haitian relief efforts. This campaign was successful thanks to people who donated $10 to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999; an estimated 15% of donations was given via text message. Another story of selflessness was Charlie Simpson, a seven-year old in Britain who had hoped to raise £500 (about $800) by riding his bicycle eight kilometers around the local park. Although he is no Louis Armstrong, Simpson has raised more than £200,000 (over $300,000), with the total still rising. Yet another event that raised money for Haiti was the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon, which aired on Friday, Jan. 22 across 36 major TV networks and streamed online globally over 10 major sites. While many big names performed onstage, about 130 actors, athletes, singers, and other celebrities showed their support by answering telephones and accepting pledges for Haiti. "It's heartwarming to hear of people helping out complete strangers who are in need," said freshman Lauren Kikuchi.

While there are many ongoing efforts taking place around the world to provide the Haitian people with relief, some of the efforts have come from our very own school. On Feb. 12, Red Cross club and Key Club set up booths around Old Town Pasadena where passersby donated money for Haiti recovery efforts. (quote about Feb. 12) From Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, ASB collected shoes for a program hosted by Sport Chalet and an organization called “Soles4Souls.” Though the exact number of shoes was not recorded, ASB was able to completely pack two cars with shoes. ASB is also planning to host a bigger event with Alhambra High School and other high schools in the area to raise money for Haiti.

Though these statistics cast a shade of darkness and despair, miraculous stories of survivors keep our sense of hope alive. There are those who have miraculously survived days of isolation, hunger, and dehydration, with only their faith to keep them going. There has even been a story of a man who had survived by following the instructions of an iPhone application in order to patch up his bleeding wound. There are never-ceasing search rescuers and compassionate countries that give their time and effort for those in need. These little flickers of light are what empower us to help one another through desolate times.