Each year Rachel Carson contributes to an organization called Pets Providing Pedals. This year Mrs. Poole, the Champions team English teacher, decided to collect donations that will be used to purchase bikes for kids in Tanzania. In addition, Mrs. Poole is letting  RCMS students donate items that will be given to the students at the Tarangire Primary School. She says, “Why not let the kids  [from Rachel Carson] fill the luggage?”

Mrs. Poole was first introduced to the project by her neighbor. Soon after receiving information about the Pets Providing Pedals foundation, she contacted Naomi Hughes, the head of the organization. The Hughes family provides funds for the foundation through their pet grooming business.

Since this is the last year Pets Providing Pedals will be active,  Mrs. Poole is joining Naomi o

n her annual trip to Tanzania. In Tanzania, they will give the children their bikes. Mrs. Poole is very excited for this trip, but she is worried about the types of diseases there. She is hesitant about leaving the school and her students. She hasn’t taken very many days off
and is worried about leaving for two weeks.

For the trip, Mrs. Poole is planning to pack a camera to capture images of the wild animals, but she is scared of getting too close to them. She is taking a small amount of clothing to make extra space for the student’s project donations because she wanted to let students the experience of the feeling that they are contributing.

Mrs. Poole’s son is also traveling with her. He plans to bring sports equipment, specifically soccer balls, to play with the kids. He wants the students to have the proper equipment to play their favorite sports.

At the Tarangire Primary School, there are 20 boys and 20 girls graduating from eighth grade that will be receiving bikes this year. The kids that are eligible to accept a bike have to come to school regularly. They do not have to accumulate good grades but they have to be dedicated to their education if they want to receive a reliable source of transportation for them, and their family to use.

During the 2012-2013 school year Rachel Carson Middle School donated$3,222.13. Using the money, 32 bikes were bought. In 2013-2014 we donated almost double that. In 2014-2015 we stayed in the same range. In the year(s) of 2015-2016 we raised $1,952.50. This year we raised $18,000 which is 188 bikes. The entire organization donated a total of 1,700 bikes to Africa.

Pets Providing Pedals’ main goals is to make a difference in the students’ lives. They want to ensure that every child can receive a good education while being safe.