Tomorrow we are on a afternoon assembly schedule to introduce our Sparrow Mya.

     The idea for Sparrow Club began in 1992, when  young Michael Leeland was in need of a bone marrow transplant and his family had no money for the operation. Leeland’s father was a teacher and one of his students, Dameon, heard what was going on and decided he wanted to help. Dameon took all of the money he had in his piggy bank and gave it to the family. This small act of generosity encouraged the rest of the school to help out. In just a month, the whole school raised $227,000 for the Leeland family.

     Four years later Sparrow Clubs USA, an organization that empowers kids to help other kids in need, was born. Each child (or Sparrow) is paired up with a school whose students can volunteer within the community on behalf of the child. Whenever a student volunteers in the community, it helps earn funds for the Sparrow, ultimately helping him or her get the medical attention he or she needs. Every hour of service raises $10 that will be donated by Black Rock and an anonymous family foundation.

     Our new Sparrow, Mya, is just like any other 9-year-old girl who loves to play with dolls and Littlest Pet Shops. Before she was born, she was diagnosed with spina bifida, a birth defect that causes a child’s spinal cord to develop improperly. Four years later, she was diagnosed with epilepsy, a disorder that disturbs brain cell activity which causes seizures.

     Mya is a very bright and joyful girl whose laugh is contagious to all around her. She enjoys science, reading, swimming, singing, dancing and riding horses. She loves to be kind to everyone. The Sparrow assembly provides a great opportunity for all students to help her by writing letters to her and placing them in the Mail for Mya boxes located around school, volunteering and donating any spare change to money for the Mya Jar here at Tigard. Mya’s message to us all is to spread kindness, so let’s help Mya and spread kindness through Tigard High School and our community.