Help get the Wildwood Middle High School Debate Team to National Tournament
 

I am a volunteer at Wildwood Middle High School and am posting this on behalf of the Debate Coach. (I would sincerely appreciate you reframe from any negative comments.)

My name is Illiana Miranda, and I am the coach/teacher for the Wildwood Middle High School Speech and Debate. We have middle school, novice, and varsity teams. In three years, we have grown from 2 members to over 30, and our kids are learning while having fun!

We have qualified for the National Speech and Debate National Championship in Des Moines. This is our third year in a row and getting stronger each year!

As a Title 1 school, we fundraise for ourselves and need your help to bring home those championship trophies.

We are halfway to our fundraising goal and hope with your generosity, our Debate Cats can bring home victories!

We compete in 10 different events, individual and team. Our kids use these skills to prepare for college and careers. We are an amazing example to our school and community.

I am so proud of them for taking a chance with their voice and their intellect.

Thank you
I. Miranda, Wildwood Middle HS
700 Huey St., Wildwood
phone: 352-748-1314

Good work. Please specify exactly what is needed (I'm guessing money) and how to donate. There must be an "official" channel for the collection of funds.

Agree.................we need information

Wmhs debate
 

Teacher has set up a fundme account. You can get info if you contact her at school. Or you can send a check - payable to Wildwood Middle High School and in note field state: Debate Team Fundraiser. Address is 700 Huey St, Wildwood, Fl.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Thank you for your inquiry.

Is this a Florida thing? Or is it more widespread, or just this one school? I've never heard of a school with a club that just asked for money, without offering something. Either a raffle, or a bake sale, or a coupon book, or heck - "Everyone who donates $100 or more will get someone from the Debate Club come to your house and debate your choice of topics from our list of 10 topics" or something.

All-

I am not saying this is a pop-up scam but let's take a breather and check it out. The only thing I found online was this from the school:

https://assets.sumter.k12.fl.us/Pres...ate4-16-24.pdf

There is no indication that the team is going anywhere. I am NOT saying this is a scam..but can we check this out first and get a legitimate web site to help these kids out. It is truly heartbreaking to hear very generous people like us getting scammed by these emails

It is admirable that people (like you) want to help out--truly. But the craftiness, ingenuity and gall of the scammers is without measure.:pray:

(I sent an email to Mr. Rocker [the school principal] asking for confirmation)...''

I will gladly contribute if this is real...

Thanks for the info. Great achievement for this group of students. Nice to see Oscar in coat & tie - they learn so much from this experience
https://assets.sumter.k12.fl.us/Pres...ate4-16-24.pdf



Fundraiser by Illiana Miranda : Support Wildwood'''s Speech and Debate Team: Road to Nationals

The point of a debate club is to teach critical thinking and practical and influential expression of words. Why then is it so difficult to access information about this club and their fundraiser? After taking a shallow peek into the rabbit hole, I found out that the tournament is from June 16-21. That's pretty important, because it demonstrates to the donor that time is of the essence.

The tournament is legit. The existence of the class is legit. No idea if the fundraiser on gofundme is legit or not, since anyone can put one of those things up, and the person claiming to be the coach doesn't have an avatar on gofundme.

Con artists are so slimy nowadays. It is too bad were are this suspicious but I have seen scams for cop funerals, school fundings, medical care, churches, cancer patients, etc. Somebody steals legit photos, sets up a fake site with a disposable email address and then closes down at the end of the week and the money is gone.

Granted--they may not get much in only a week ($500-$3,000) but that money (my money) is basically untraceable....

There should be an enhanced penalty under the law for people that pray on other's goodwill and generosity.

Hopefully somebody will confirm this is legit within. a few days (it "appears to be") so we can comfortably contribute to a worthwhile cause.

How about just calling the number furnished by the OP.

Ditto, I am so gratified to see that debate, and the teaching of analytical thinking (facts versus emotional speech) IS being revived in our public schools. SO NEEDED to raise mentally healthy adults. What do you need and HOW can we donate ?

[QUOTE=bmcgowan13;2333160]All-

I am not saying this is a pop-up scam but let's take a breather and check it out. The only thing I found online was this from the school:

https://assets.sumter.k12.fl.us/Pres...ate4-16-24.pdf

There is no indication that the team is going anywhere. I am NOT saying this is a scam..but can we check this out first and get a legitimate web site to help these kids out. It is truly heartbreaking to hear very generous people like us getting scammed by these emails

It is admirable that people (like you) want to help out--truly. But the craftiness, ingenuity and gall of the scammers is without measure.:pray:

(I sent an email to Mr. Rocker [the school principal] asking for confirmation)...''

I will gladly contribute if this is real...[/QUOTE


Anxiously awaiting your posting his replay, rather positive, or (hopefully not) he's stunned and has no idea who the posting folks ever are.

If you're suspicious or don't trust the gofundme simply send a check or drop it off at the school. Note the check is made to the school - not an individual. Call the school. easy to verify with a 30 second phone call that these funds are needed, seems like this school doesn't have funding for the tournament and the students involved are worthy of our support. Not everything is a scam, and you can verify it's not quickly and easily.

Agree
They blame teenagers for doing everything electronically. Rather than calling for a Congressional Inquiry....the OP left her phone number....and as you stated, take a ride to the school....its Wildwood (assuming those inquiring are allowed within 500 ft of one.....sarcasm). I sent a money order to the address given...only because i have inherent trust issues....and its only a nominal amount that im ok with losing!

No, the OP left someone else's phone number. The OP said they were posting on someone else's behalf.

I have no intention of donating to that club. But I shouldn't have to "do the research" to find out if the gofundme page is legit. It's up to the person presenting the information to source it properly, which they didn't do.

I don’t do Go Fund Me pages. What is legit is 700 Huey Street in Wildwood....it’s the middle school. Unless the postal worker that is delivering my MO is in on the ‘scam’ with the person that posted the info....I think I’m good. My envelope was addressed to the MS to the attention of the principal.

I didn't know that people still used money orders. I haven't used any is decades.

Were you worried about "check washing"?

Really?
Money Orders have never not been around. In certain applications, I utilize them.

This is confirmed by the school to be legit and a good cause.

Fundraiser by Illiana Miranda : Support Wildwood'''s Speech and Debate Team: Road to Nationals

From Ms. Miranda-

"GoFundMe is definitely legit. I have nine students who have qualified for nationals over in Des Moines and we are fundraising right now so that way we can get all of them there at the moment we are going to be driving up into big huge Rent-A-Car and then we're going to fly back because by the end, I'm going to be too exhausted to drive back we're competing a world school debate or also competing in big questions debate and we have middle schoolers in extemporaneous speaking declamation, and oration so if you have any other questions, please give me a call back. I am glad to help you and my email is eliana . miranda @ sumter . k2 . nfl .us. It's on the website but just in case feel free to reach out if you have any questions I am so here for you thanks. …”

I am sure they appreciate our donations.

Story in today's "Daily Sun" page D-3 :ho: