Focus On A Global View
Aman Mehta ‘11
Community Service director Cali Almy with seniors Aman Mehta and Tyler Ropolo (above) at their successful joint fundraiser many students and parents attended at Ropolo’s Pasta Beach restaurant in Newport. Another event is planned in Boston in the spring.
Nick Lowinger ‘16
Gotta Have Sole As a 5-year-old, Nick’s mother, an art therapist, brought him along to her work at a Providence shelter. He saw the needs of the shelter residents firsthand over the course of several years. As a bar mitzvah community service project, Nick, now a 7th grader, responded to seeing kids in shelters who needed shoes by collecting new shoes to donate. His project branched out collecting donations from shoe companies to distribute. In September 2010 (on the first day of this school year), Nick incorporated Gotta Have Sole Foundation as a non-profit charity. At presstime, Nick had been contacted by producers of NBC Nightly News for a possible “Making A Difference” feature on his efforts. More than 10 RI shelters are receiving
Now & Then @ Wheeler
Rebound for Tomorrow Aman’s work starting this non-profit organization was also inspired by alumnus Ted Mooncai’s work in establishing the Hope Scholarship during Ted’s Wheeler years. RFT raises money in support of students at the Sardar Patel Vidyalaya School in Ena, Gujarat, India. Students who wish to attend this excellent public school often come from low-income, tribal families who live quite far away. RFT raises money to pay for the dormitory and boarding fees for these students, including health care. It costs a dollar a day to support a student. RFT sponsored one child in its first year and Aman commented that he was so inspired by the resilience of that child, whom he spent time with in the summer of 2009, that he decided to do more. RFT sponsored 7 children in years two and three as a result of Aman’s efforts to get business sponsorships. Aman has also prepared for future work by training in Bangladesh at the Grameen Bank, founded by Nobel Prize winner Mohammed Yunus.
Tyler Ropolo ‘11
Wishes for Water and Life Tyler began his non-profit work as an 8th grader at his school in Italy. Working with a teacher there, he learned about the need for community wells in Burkina Faso and that the cost of each well amounts to only $13,000. On coming to Wheeler, Tyler established his non-profit, Wishes for Water and Life, and has organized fund-raisers, most recently at the Pasta Beach Restaurant in Newport, to raise $8,000 for the building of a well. Tyler showed a presentation about the recent installation of a well and the school children who benefited from having access to water.
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