BIZAA club helps children thousands of miles away

Photo by Ava Hoelzel

Kirsten Carter is showing off her BIZAA board. Listed on the poster are the kids that are being sponsored. Carter said she wants to continue this cub “probably for the next 10 years at least.”

Ava Hoelzel, Photographer Editor

 “And I think that it’s a great cause. And something we all should be trying to help,” junior Brynn Wurgler said.

BIZAA club raises money for kids in Nigeria, who are in need of an education. Spanish teacher Kirsten Carter runs the club with help from students. These people look forward to giving back and helping others. They only meet twice a month, but have a huge impact thousands of miles away.

This club meets the first and third Monday of every month. As well as these kids needing an education, some of them were victims of sex trafficking. Their goal is to spread awareness of these kids and how even though their lives are very different from ours we can help them to have better lives.

“It’s a great organization, trying to help people who need help,” Wurgler said.

BIZAA meets twice a month. Although this does not seem like a lot of time to get things done, they do a lot.

“BIZAA is a high impact club with a low time commitment. So even people who are very busy, can still be a part of something bigger, and really be proud, that they are making a difference in someone else’s life,” Spanish teacher Kirsten Carter said.

A substantial part of the club and organization is spreading awareness to others. Many people do not know what is happening in other countries.

“Educating people about human trafficking, about child labor, are a major focus of the club,” Carter added.

Individual kids are sponsored to get an education. The students in the club know who they are sponsoring. They get to know the names of the children and some things about them.

“Even though we have never met the children that we sponsor, we do feel connected to them now,” said Carter.

It has only been a year and a half since this club started and they have already raised thousands of dollars.

“All the money that we’ve raised for BIZAA at the high school, which is over $15 thousand has been paid to the BIZAA organization for the children’s sponsorships, for their education,” Carter said.

This club sets kids up with an education, which can later help their futures. By having an education they are open to more opportunities.

“Not only do we get to support those kids in an education, which will give them more opportunities, you know in their futures and careers,” Carter said.

A lot of people and mainly students, take free public education for granted. We don’t realize how we can just go to school and not have to worry about the cost.

“In our country, for example, all kids can go to school free, and in other countries that’s not necessarily the case,” Carter said.

These people are a part of the club to help out these kids. Giving to these kids makes students feel good, they really want to help out others.

Junior Cece Wallace said she is looking forward to “sponsoring kids and raising money to support them.”

For Carter, BIZAA is a big part of her life. Besides the club, she also sponsors other kids with her immediate family, and she gets to share this experience with them. Her family likes to stay connected with the kids they are sponsoring.

“We are a part of sponsoring three different children. So our kids are on the refrigerator at home. And when we get information our updates about the kids, you know, we celebrate, we get excited, we get to work together to write letters,” Carter said.

“I love helping out and it again I said it makes me feel good. And it just brings people together for a good cause,” Wurgler said.