Students baking cookies to aid Cambodia

By JEFFREY HAGE jeff.hage@lee.net

Steam rose from the baking pan as Jacob Wagner pulled a dozen cookies, soft and hot, from the modern kitchen at his town of Tilden home.The oven used to bake the cookies, the running water that moistened the cookie dough, and the kitchen utilities used to form the dough into round balls were a stark contrast from those that the cookies would benefit.

Jacob and his fellow fourth graders at Hillcrest Elementary School in Chippewa Falls have been joined by their parents in kitchens throughout Chippewa Falls the past three weeks baking cookies for weekly bake sales with proceeds benefiting children in Cambodia.

The project, which has turned Hillcrest into a building full of "cookie monsters," began in the classroom of teacher Beth Prusila, who called to action by her brother and sister-in-law, who traveled to Cambodia recently and saw the terrible conditions children were living in.

"They have no toilets, books, chalkboards or running water," Prusila said of the Cambodian schools. Prusila's brother felt bad about what he witnessed and called her to see if Hillcrest could help the children in Cambodia.And help, Hillcrest has.

For the past three Wednesdays, Prusila's students have been arriving at school early to sell their home baked cookies from 7:30-8:15 a.m. Combined with a bake sale during conferences one night this past week, the students have raised $1,061 through "Cookies for Cambodia." There are three more Wednesday morning cookies sales planned, with the other Hillcrest fourth grade classes stepping up to bake and sell cookies, too.

It was the students who dreamed up the "Cookies for Cambodia" idea."We were trying to think of ways to help them and we decided on the cookies," said fourth grader Elli Daniels."We thought a lot of kids would want to buy cookies," said Marissa Pearson, a fellow student.Student Kurt Schauss liked the idea."Cookies and Cambodia - they both start with Cs so they go good together," he said.

Student Riley Patrow not only helped by baking cookies and then purchasing a few dollars worth for a Wednesday school-time snack. He also added $26 of his hard-earned cash to the cookie kitty.Kaitlin Rubenzer, another fourth grader, said she's glad to be able to help out for a good cause."It's nice to help if they don't have anything over there," she said.

The fourth graders have learned about Cambodia through social studies lessons. They have seen the plight of the Cambodians first hand through photos sent to Prusila by her brother. Prusila shared with her students a video her brother filmed and Cambodia and sent along on a compact disk."They sent me photos, and we used them to make posters advertising the cookie sales," Prusila said.

Now students from every grade level have been exposed to the dire conditions of students in a far-away land. Prusila says her brother and sister-in-law have big plans for the money Hillcrest raises."They are going back to Cambodia and are going to buy chalkboards and supplies right there.

My brother is going to commission a well so they have fresh water. The learning environment and living conditions of 700 Cambodian students are sure to change for the better all because of some flour and water mixed with love - and a few chocolate chips for good measure.