benet academy hosts camera drive

Recycling Cameras for Chile, the latest OJOS nuevos campaign, asks for the digital cameras that have been replaced by shiny new ones during this recent holiday season. In an effort to redistribute resources to where they can be better utilized-- other than that dusty shelf on the computer desk or shoved in the back of a drawer nestled in knotted cords-- this campaign will send donated digital cameras to OJOS nuevos, a photography program for youth at social risk in Santiago de Chile.

Benet Academy, a high school in Lisle, Illinois (and my alma mater), is currently hosting a camera drive to collect digital cameras for the campaign. A series of posters have been hung through the school hallways explaining the mission of OJOS nuevos and encouraging students to ask their families and friends for any unwanted cameras, and announcements are read daily over the loudspeaker. The drive officially began on January 7, with plans to wrap up on this coming Friday the 18th.

This morning I received notice from the assistant dean of students that nine cameras had already been brought into the office, a pleasant surprise; I had originally set the goal for ten total. Around lunch I opened another message saying that three more had been brought in. I also found out that a Spanish teacher is having a fundraiser in his class to raise money to buy a new camera.

Benet would like to extend the camera drive until the end of the month, and of course I have no objection. The generosity has overwhelmed me and already exceeded my optimistic expectations. Please stay tuned for final results!