MONROE - "Abducted" students participating in The Rescue in Chicago still were not "rescued" as of Tuesday, according to Sarah Domres, Monroe High School International Studies teacher.
More than 20 Monroe High school students participated in The Rescue, an international campaign to raise awareness about the 30,000 African children, ages 8 to 14, who have been kidnapped and forced to fight in Uganda for a rebel group called the Lords Resistance Army, led by Joseph Kony.
The war has been going on for 23 years.
Meaghan Tomasiewicz, a senior and teaching assistant in Domres' class, has been there enduring the cold, wind and rain since Saturday. Two other students returned to Chicago on Monday for the night, and others returned Tuesday to resume their endeavor.
Participants "abducted" themselves on April 25 and gathered in 100 cities around the world. Monroe students went to Milwaukee and Chicago. Rescues were accomplished by having the media, politicians or celebrities give attention to the campaign.
The Milwaukee people were "rescued" by a nun from Northern Uganda who spoke to them about how she had dozens of students abducted from her school in Northern Uganda.
Kaitlyn Wyss, Vicki Walters, Jalen Capesius, Tara Fetterolf and Laura Chopp stayed until Milwaukee was rescued late Saturday night. The rest of the students headed from Milwaukee to Chicago on Saturday for that city's protest.
"They wrote letters to their Wisconsin senators and attached pictures of their family and friends. They worked so hard to make a difference, and I could not be more proud of them," Domres said.
Kaitlyn Wyss told Domres that the nun's speech was moving and really sad.
One of the nun's abducted students tried to escape and was killed in front of the rest of the girls. Another was falling behind and was cut into pieces to scare the girls into keeping up with the rest of the group.
The Milwaukee event was moved inside due to the bad weather. However, Chicago wasn't so lucky.
Around 15 Monroe students went to Chicago for the march and the overnight campout.
The goal was to have all cities rescued by Sunday morning. Chicago was one of only five cities still not rescued Tuesday.
Chicago has become the focal point, with still more than 150 people holding strong Monday night, through heavy winds, rain and cold conditions.
"Rescue Riders" from other rescued cities were heading to Chicago Monday, in an attempt to reinforce the numbers that exceeded 1,000 people Saturday during the march. The national director of the organization also flew in from London to cheer them on Monday night. They are hoping Chicago will be the "finale" with a great lineup of rescuers.
"We still have three students that I know of participating. They have braved the wet clothes, the lack of sleep, the lack of access to food, ... all because they refuse to give up in this fight to bring awareness to child soldiers," Domres said.
Tomasiewicz, home for a track meet and a few classes Tuesday, told the Monroe Times the people she has met are amazing and enthusiastic.
"Everyone who's there has passion," she said.
Although people have to leave Chicago's camp to attend to personal obligations some people are still there all the time, she said.
"A lot of people in Monroe want to go back," Tomasiewicz added.
Tomasiewicz spent Sunday night and all of Monday alone in Chicago, with no other Monroe students and only the other 150 abductees.
"She refuses to leave; it is that important to her," Domres said. "She is truly a person that will impact the world someday and has started in her own small way by this demonstration of her commitment to what is right."
An inner city church donated a gym for them to sleep in Monday night. However, there wasn't much sleep. They had very few blankets but were able to get out of the rain and cold for awhile.
Tomasiewicz said she has met people from all over the United States, and it has really opened her eyes to what she wants to do in life.
She will be returning to Chicago, as will a few other students after the track meet to stay for the remainder of the Rescue.
Tomasiewicz and students Garrett Wyss and Eleanor Nesimoglu were the three Monroe participants to brave the elements the longest - in only the clothes they had brought and one garbage bag.
"They were soaking wet, no tent, no rain jackets; Wyss didn't even have pants - only cargo shorts," Domres said.
"I think that, while this may be somewhat of a criticism of their planning skills and lack of attention to the weather," she added laughing. "It is also a true demonstration of their commitment."
Wyss and Nesimoglu returned on Sunday night for school Monday.
"All of my students that attended, whether in Milwaukee or Chicago gained a great deal from their experience ... experiences they will never forget," Domres said.
"They learned how to care about others even when there is nothing in it for themselves. They learned that standing up for others is neither easy nor short-lived. It is a constant battle and winning that battle takes commitment. We have students willing to make that commitment. They have participated in an event that has made these invisible child soldiers, at least in part, visible if even for a short time," Domres said.
More than 20 Monroe High school students participated in The Rescue, an international campaign to raise awareness about the 30,000 African children, ages 8 to 14, who have been kidnapped and forced to fight in Uganda for a rebel group called the Lords Resistance Army, led by Joseph Kony.
The war has been going on for 23 years.
Meaghan Tomasiewicz, a senior and teaching assistant in Domres' class, has been there enduring the cold, wind and rain since Saturday. Two other students returned to Chicago on Monday for the night, and others returned Tuesday to resume their endeavor.
Participants "abducted" themselves on April 25 and gathered in 100 cities around the world. Monroe students went to Milwaukee and Chicago. Rescues were accomplished by having the media, politicians or celebrities give attention to the campaign.
The Milwaukee people were "rescued" by a nun from Northern Uganda who spoke to them about how she had dozens of students abducted from her school in Northern Uganda.
Kaitlyn Wyss, Vicki Walters, Jalen Capesius, Tara Fetterolf and Laura Chopp stayed until Milwaukee was rescued late Saturday night. The rest of the students headed from Milwaukee to Chicago on Saturday for that city's protest.
"They wrote letters to their Wisconsin senators and attached pictures of their family and friends. They worked so hard to make a difference, and I could not be more proud of them," Domres said.
Kaitlyn Wyss told Domres that the nun's speech was moving and really sad.
One of the nun's abducted students tried to escape and was killed in front of the rest of the girls. Another was falling behind and was cut into pieces to scare the girls into keeping up with the rest of the group.
The Milwaukee event was moved inside due to the bad weather. However, Chicago wasn't so lucky.
Around 15 Monroe students went to Chicago for the march and the overnight campout.
The goal was to have all cities rescued by Sunday morning. Chicago was one of only five cities still not rescued Tuesday.
Chicago has become the focal point, with still more than 150 people holding strong Monday night, through heavy winds, rain and cold conditions.
"Rescue Riders" from other rescued cities were heading to Chicago Monday, in an attempt to reinforce the numbers that exceeded 1,000 people Saturday during the march. The national director of the organization also flew in from London to cheer them on Monday night. They are hoping Chicago will be the "finale" with a great lineup of rescuers.
"We still have three students that I know of participating. They have braved the wet clothes, the lack of sleep, the lack of access to food, ... all because they refuse to give up in this fight to bring awareness to child soldiers," Domres said.
Tomasiewicz, home for a track meet and a few classes Tuesday, told the Monroe Times the people she has met are amazing and enthusiastic.
"Everyone who's there has passion," she said.
Although people have to leave Chicago's camp to attend to personal obligations some people are still there all the time, she said.
"A lot of people in Monroe want to go back," Tomasiewicz added.
Tomasiewicz spent Sunday night and all of Monday alone in Chicago, with no other Monroe students and only the other 150 abductees.
"She refuses to leave; it is that important to her," Domres said. "She is truly a person that will impact the world someday and has started in her own small way by this demonstration of her commitment to what is right."
An inner city church donated a gym for them to sleep in Monday night. However, there wasn't much sleep. They had very few blankets but were able to get out of the rain and cold for awhile.
Tomasiewicz said she has met people from all over the United States, and it has really opened her eyes to what she wants to do in life.
She will be returning to Chicago, as will a few other students after the track meet to stay for the remainder of the Rescue.
Tomasiewicz and students Garrett Wyss and Eleanor Nesimoglu were the three Monroe participants to brave the elements the longest - in only the clothes they had brought and one garbage bag.
"They were soaking wet, no tent, no rain jackets; Wyss didn't even have pants - only cargo shorts," Domres said.
"I think that, while this may be somewhat of a criticism of their planning skills and lack of attention to the weather," she added laughing. "It is also a true demonstration of their commitment."
Wyss and Nesimoglu returned on Sunday night for school Monday.
"All of my students that attended, whether in Milwaukee or Chicago gained a great deal from their experience ... experiences they will never forget," Domres said.
"They learned how to care about others even when there is nothing in it for themselves. They learned that standing up for others is neither easy nor short-lived. It is a constant battle and winning that battle takes commitment. We have students willing to make that commitment. They have participated in an event that has made these invisible child soldiers, at least in part, visible if even for a short time," Domres said.