Community Corner

Citizen of the Week: New Meaning for Casual Friday

Hills East junior Miranda Lupion is giving refugee children a chance at an education.

Miranda Lupion isn't the average teenager.

While most high school students are cooling off by the pool, this junior is changing the world.

Lupion created "Suitless for Students," a fundraiser in which professionals dress down for one week and donate the money they would have spent on dry cleaning to support education in developing nations, particularly in areas where children face difficulties obtaining an education due to armed conflict.

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The donations go to UNICEF to fund its “School in a Box” program, a kit that contains supplies and materials for a teacher and 40 students including pencils, erasers and scissors. The kit is supplied in a locked aluminium box, the lid of which can double as a blackboard when coated with the special paint included in the kit. Using a locally developed teaching guide and curriculum, teachers can establish makeshift classrooms almost anywhere. 

Her fundraising work is especially timely since famine and drought in Somolia have forced families and children from their homes into refugee camps in Kenya and other surrounding countries.

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"When these kids have to leave their homes and live in these refugee camps, they're deprived of an education," Lupion said.

The young activist first became interested in international work by participating on the Hills speech and debate team, which required her to speak about global issues. She now interns with the United Nations through the non-governmental organization The Temple of Understanding. "It opened a totally new door to see things from a humanitarian perspective," she said.

"What I find fascinating is the way education can elevate your status and standard of living. Education is key to breaking cycle of poverty."

Lupion has an initial goal of raising enough money to send 250 boxes, but said even if she can only send a few, it would still make a huge difference in the lives of refugee children.

"My goal is just to improve their access to education. This is my way of helping out," she said.

The Suitless for Students fundraiser will take place Oct. 10-14. For more information or to help Lupion with her cause, visit SuitlessForStudents.org


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