Soap for Haiti Cleans the World

This week's Whiz Kid is Merrick Howarth. Merrick is a seventh-grade student from . 

 Merrick was on her way home from the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry back in November, when a radio program caught her attention. The program was "Here and Now" a local public access station interviewing Shawn Seipler. Seipler was expressing the need for soap in Haiti to help save lives.

After Merrick listened to the story she felt a call to action, and decided to get involved. She began by writing friends asking them to buy and donate soap. The next day at school she discussed the need for soap in Haiti with friends;  they were willing to help. The next day a teacher helped out, and the plea for soap made the daily school announcements. The eighth-grade class even decided to make it a competition to see which homeroom could collect the most soap!

Merrick was able to collect 486 bars of soap and 76 bottles of shampoo in about three weeks. On Dec. 17, the collection was sent to Shawn Seipler, and then to Haiti. 

What a great accomplishment! Way to go Merrick Howarth!