Local Girl Makes Her Mark On Quake Ravaged Haiti
MIAMI (CBS4) - A South Florida girl is making her mark on earthquake ravaged Haiti. Twelve-year-old Gianna Moline-Willsey won a contest to name a brand new school that is giving hundreds of Haitians a chance at a brighter future.
"My mom had been talking about it. My family had been talking about it. My friends had relatives. It is crazy," explained Gianna to CBS4's Jorge Estevez.
Gianna decided to do something for Haiti and entered a contest to name Royal Caribbean's new school in Haiti.
"With Haiti, although it is a small step to such a large problem for the Haitians, we are hoping with education is where it can start and it starts with the children to help build a brighter future for Haiti," said Michele Nadeem, VP of Royal Caribbean Cruises Global Corporate Communications.
Gianna wanted to help.
"My mother and I had been thinking about all the struggles and devastation that Haiti was going through," said the 12-year-old girl.
Gianna drew a sketch, which she entered along with 4,000 other students through the contest held at the Miami Dade YMCA.
"Most of our kids grow up not knowing anything about it, so this is a real way to make it exciting, a way to make it an exciting enjoyable way to learn about our neighbors and see how we can help," explained Alfred Sanchez, President & CEO of YMCA Miami-Dade.
Turns out, Gianna won the school naming contest.
"I started crying and it was insane. I said, 'Oh my God I won.' My mom called me and it was fun," exclaimed Gianna.
She and her mom chose the name "New Beginnings". In French, it's "L'Ecole Nouvelle Royal Caribbean".
"You feel they need for a new beginning," said Stephanie Willsey, Gianna's mom. "It started a new hope and a new beginning and it just rolled from there."
Gianna also won a prize, a pass on board Royal Caribbean's "Allure of the Seas" to see the world's largest cruise ship first hand.
"It is insane," said Gianna. "It is incredible. I really like it. It is nice."
She also got special recognition during Allure's naming ceremony.
The school is one of the first to be built in Haiti after the earthquake. The 6,500 square foot school complex is on land Royal Caribbean leases from the Haitian government. The campus consists of six buildings, with 12 classrooms, administrative offices, a computer lab and bathrooms.
