Lehman High School students are ready to walk in the March for Dimes annual march on May 1, 2011, at Lincoln center in down town Manhattan. The March for Dimes organization started about 30 years ago, back when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president of the United States. Back then, President Roosevelt began a campaign to raise awareness of medical issues such as polio and infant mortality. The foundation’s goal at that time was to raise money for medical research to find a cure for polio and assist those affected by the disease. The March of Dimes provided the awareness needed and helped to accomplish President Roosevelt goal which was to find a cure for polio. Polio is no longer a threat in our country.
In 2003, the March of Dimes turned its focus on creating awareness and raising funds for premature birth babies. Premature births are a problem for thousands of babies who are born in our country every year. The March for Dimes is now committed in a multi-year effort to raise funds for neonatal care. Neonatal care is defined on webMD.com, “as the period immediately succeeding birth and continuing through the first 28 days life.” Early care is essential for babies born premature and has according to the March of Dimes, saved hundreds of lives.
Mr. James Rodriguez who is a teacher at Lehman High School and the coordinator of the March for Dimes at Lehman, took a group of students from the Lehman Lions Team to New York University to a rally and history session on the March of Dimes. During this session the students got an opportunity to learn about the March of Dimes and why neonatal care is so important in the United States and around the world.
Most of the students showed deep concern when they learned about the effects of premature births. Students also learned about ways to use social networking to create outreach to outer communities about the May 1, 2011 march. March of Dimes donation boxes were distributed to many Lehman student. Many of the students who received the boxes said, “Hey I was able to fill this box up in a matter of minutes due to the many people I know.” As a way of getting the word out, Mr. Rodriguez said, “I wish I could have the entire school come on the trips to NYU.” Lehman students hope to get the Principal of Lehman, Dr. Saraceno, to join the walk as they will participate in many other marches.
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