The students are part of a leadership class which has been involved with humanity projects for the past three years. Tonight, students will stay up until 6 a.m. tomorrow for their Wake Up and Touch The World Wake-a-Thon event. The money raised will go towards building a school in Masai Mara, Kenya.

According to student Dillon Ramsey, the Kenyan government only spends seven per cent of its budget on education which amounts to $31.60 per student. In comparison, Canada spends $1,500.

Students hope to raise at least $40 each in pledges. The leadership class, which is organizing the event, is hoping to raise at least $15,000 to build the school. So far, around 400 students have signed up for the wake-a-thon.

“It feels really awesome, it’s so incredibly worth it. You can do things to fund raise for your school but when you do it for other people who really need it...(and provide) them with things like education and school, we are actually helping to stop the cycle of poverty.

The students will stay overnight at the school and be kept busy with activities such as an African dance club visiting from Richmond High and a magician to awe them with the magical arts as well as a slide show presentations on the school’s humanitarian efforts last year.

Schools in Kamploops and Winnipeg have jumped on board with Burnett’s project and are having a wake-a-thon of their own. The three schools will communicate with each other via webcams.

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