EVIT Students Exceed Goal;
Cap Semester of Fundraising with
Presentation of $6,000 to Autism Speaks

MESA – December 16, 2009 – Health students from the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) recently presented a $6,000 check to Autism Speaks, culminating a semester of fundraising for the organization.

Last school year, EVIT students in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) organization raised more than $2,700 for Autism Speaks, and they were given a merit award for their efforts at the HOSA National Leadership Conference in June. This school year, the students set their sights higher with a fundraising goal of $5,000. They surpassed their goal by 20 percent by hosting a comedy hypnosis fundraiser show in November and collecting donations from family, friends and businesses.

“Through this project, the students are learning more about autism,” said Sharon Black, an EVIT health foundations teacher. “They are realizing that many people in their lives know someone with autism. I’ve told them that as health professionals, they will all be working with people affected by autism spectrum disorders. So this has been a good learning experience for them.”

Becky Adams, 17, an EVIT student in the nursing program and the top fundraiser with nearly $2,000 raised, said the project really was informative.

“I had no idea what autism even was at the beginning of this project,” Adams said. “I think it’s cool that this money can go toward autism research and helping families out.”

Classmate Rachel Young, the second-place fundraiser with $785, raised a large portion of the money by setting out jars in EVIT classrooms and asking students to donate their spare change.

“The change adds up, it really does,” Young said.  “You just have to ask.  Usually people won’t donate unless you ask them.”

HOSA students across the country are raising money for Autism Speaks as a national service project. Autism Speaks is a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the lives of those who struggle with autism spectrum disorders. The money will be used for research, family services, advocacy and awareness.

The East Valley Institute of Technology is Arizona’s first joint technological education district. EVIT provides about 40 occupation-specific programs for high school students at ten school districts across the East Valley. The programs are tuition-free for high school students; classes also are open to adult students at competitive tuition rates.  EVIT, which has been honored as an A+ school in Arizona, is located at 1601 West Main Street in Mesa. For more information about programs offered, please call (480) 461-4000 or visit www.evit.com.