Students Refuse to Be Robbed of Their Special Trip

Burglars may have stolen $2,250 that sixth-graders at Haddon Avenue Elementary School had saved for a trip, but they couldn’t take away their fighting spirit.

At first, the 177 sixth-grade students were devastated after learning of the March 14 theft.

But the kids, mostly from families living near the poverty level, decided to fight back and keep peddling frozen Otter Pops and candy rather than give up on their dream of visiting Universal Studios.

“We worked so hard just to earn the money. We felt like we worked for nothing,” said 11-year-old Billy Gomez, one of several students hawking Otter Pops on Wednesday. “We took a vote to see whether we should still sell. Everybody wants to sell.”

“First, the teacher asked us if we want to give up and not go on this trip,” Jorge Zubiran, 11, said. “We all decided we wanted this trip. We don’t want to miss it.”

And the Pacoima sixth-graders are finding they are not alone.

Benefactors have stepped forward, ranging from a beauty supply shop employee to a Santa Barbara photographer, who donated money and goods for the students.

One woman gave $5, all she said she could afford, Assistant Principal Nancy Oda said. Other donations included $500 from a Sylmar manufacturing company and $300 from two area banks. Politicians are providing buses and a San Dimas caterer will throw in lunches for the youngsters. Los Angeles Police Officer Norm Dumais said the Foothill Division, which has adopted the school, is taking up a collection from officers.

“It’s hard to tell kids that this is a hard world,” said Oda, but “now we can tell them there’s a lot of people who care about them and their education.”

With less than two months to go and about $1,000 in the bank, students are confident they will sell enough goodies to pay for the trips, scheduled for May 7 and June 18.

Teacher Nancy Takei, whose class raised the most money, said the students have learned a powerful lesson about “making a positive out of a negative.”