From April 22 to April 26, faculty across the district encouraged students to donate $5 or more to help assist the people of West, Texas after a disastrous fertilizer plant explosion.

On the evening of April 17, at 7:50 p.m., West Fertilizer Company building exploded and destroyed 60 to 80 homes and damaged about 75 more, as well as West Middle School. The disaster began with a fire which caused a gas explosion that killed 12 people, and injured over 200.

To help the citizens of West, Dr, Stephen Waddell, superintendent of LISD, created the Give ‘Em $5 fundraiser,

Give ‘Em $5 encourages students to donate at least $5 to help the people of West. The money raised will be given to West ISD and the first-responder families affected by the blast.

Flower Mound High School raised almost $3,000, LISD raising even more in total.

“LISD students and staff have donated over $68,000 to help this city and school districts due to the campaign last week,” LISD Chief Operations Officer Kevin Rodgers said.

At the April 26 FMHS baseball game, student council passed a bucket around the stadium, asking the community to take part in the fundraiser.

The fundraiser was very successful across the district, and the money raised will help repair some of the damage. Although the district is no longer collecting donations as a whole, West is still accepting aid.