Grade 6 Cook Elementary student Benjamin Yee had never raised money for a charitable project before. But after he and his class learned about the dire situation in Bungoma Kenya (near Uganda) and their need for housing and school supplies, he was quick to make a pitch to his friends and family.

"I felt really good for the people in Africa and in Kenya," he said.

Yee joined the rest of the school in selling a paper brick for two dollars. Each brick was added to a large mural depicting a house hung on the school walls. In a week and a half, Yee and his classmates managed to raise over $2300.

The money will be taken to Kenya by Cook teacher Charmian Bland, who will use it to help Habitat for Humanity build a home in Kenya this month.

Bland says that the kids were incredibly excited about the opportunity to expand their charity work to a global level.

"In a really short period of time, they really went above and beyond and thought of people living outside their community," she says.