December 10, 1999

Mar Vista High Students Collect/Donate Items for Mexican Flood Victims

Students in Mar Vista High School's MEChA club coordinated a collection of clothes, diapers, food and other items and donated them to the Binational Emergency Medical Care Committee for distribution to the flood victims in Southeast Mexico.

Students throughout the school responded, filing a van full of donated items. Celia Diaz, director of the Binational Committee, picked up the items last month.


Mar Vista Principal, Dr. Louise Phipps, (R) explains the student effort that brought donations to Mexican flood victims as Celia Díaz, director of the Binational Emergency Medical Care Committee (L) listens.

Selene Preciado, president of MEChA Club, and other members of the group encouraged donations by posting notices throughout the school and by making daily announcements. MEChA, which stands for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, is a student-run club that emphasizes service and understanding of the student's cultural heritage.

"I was surprised by all that was brought in," said Selene, who is a Mar Vista senior. "I felt like we made a difference."

The MEChA students took up the collection to help the thousands of Mexican residents displaced by September floods in and around the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco.

The student group will also begin selling candy in the next couple of weeks as fundraiser to purchase toys for children in a Tijuana orphanage.

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