$$$ Raised in Philly

For Mr. Baloyi’s School

By Sandy Cooch

Thanks to a 2006 graduate of Randolph Union High School, a student organization at Temple University in Philadelphia just raised $100 to bring water to Mr. Baloyi’s school in South Africa.

The graduate is Liz Price of Randolph, who was one of Falaza Baloyi’s chemisty students in 2005, when the South African teacher spent a year teaching at RUHS. He was here as part of a Fulbright teacher exchange program that sent RUHS teacher Terry McManamy to Baloyi’s school in northwestern South Africa.

McManamy visited his exchange partner this summer and brought back greetings from Baloyi, who is now a principal. In his report, which was published in the Sept. 7 Herald, Baloyi wrote, "The only challenge I need to be assisted about is water. The school does not have water and we are in serious crisis."

Liz Price, a freshman at Temple, keeps up with her hometown by reading The Herald online. After reading about Baloyi, Price—who "always really liked Mr. Baloyi’s class," her mom reported this week—talked to fellow members of TU’s Social Administration Student Collective.

Inspired by Liz’s stories, the Temple students decided to make Baloyi’s water project the fundraising focus of their annual fall festival.

According to a member of the collective who called The Herald seeking an address for Baloyi, students raffled off a "movie night basket," with soda, popcorn and DVDs.

Liz is the daughter of Debbie and Greg Price of Randolph. Debbie Price said this week that her daughter is enjoying her studies at Temple, where she is focusing on urban studies and geography.