PANAMA CITY — About eight minutes after starting a brain-testing online game, Callie Mills had helped donate 1,560 grains of rice.
“I think it’s awesome,” the 17-year-old Bay High student said. The game “is really addicting.”
While 1,560 grains of rice is not enough to solve world hunger, every grain helps.
That’s why Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School is trying to raise 3 million grains of rice by April 8, the day of its traditional Empty Bowl fundraiser at the Bay High Café. Chautauqua is raising rice through United Nations World Food Programme nonprofit website freerice.com. Website visitors choose to play multiple choice academic subject games and for each correct answer sponsors donate 10 grains of rice.
Sponsors are companies that advertise on the page and sponsored advertisement banners displayed on correct answers pay for the rice donated. “Anyone can do it,” said Opheli Garcia-Lawler, 18, Bay High student and Chautauqua volunteer.
The school is asking for everyone to log on and play to donate rice. No personal information is needed.
“Our main goal is the 3 million grains of rice for Free Rice,” Garcia-Lawler added.
Three million grains will translate into about 360 pounds of rice, according to Principal Cynthia McCauley. And with a great need for an “able-minded” society, everyone is welcomed to help the school exceed that goal and donate more rice.
“We used to speak about able bodied people having a job,” McCauley said. “Well, now, in this information age, it’s able-minded people — and that’s the key to a successful life.”
She referenced 2011 New York Times article The Unexamined Society written by David Brooks, which, in part, points to facts about cognitive behaviors of poor people.
“The brain is limited when your stomach is not full because you need the nutrition to think appropriately,” McCauley said. “But until I read that article, it hadn’t dawned on me that worry, scarcity in life … also limits your cognitive capacity.”
Therefore, “Having enough food, nutrition and not worrying about having enough food is key to having a successful life,” she added.
Each year Empty Bowl raises on average about $8,000. Chautauqua challenges community members to make pledges to give more if the school reaches its 3 million grain of rice Free Rice goal.
To help raise rice, go to freerice.com, enter username: Chautauquaemptybowl and password: emptybowl.
WANT TO GO?
-Who: Chautauqua Learn & Serve Charter School
-What: Empty Bowl fundraiser
-When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 8
-Where: Bay High Café
-Cost: $5
