Alumna Answers Teachers' Call For Donations At Boca Ciega

GULFPORT, FL —A Boca Ciega High School alumna who is now a senior at Princeton University created an Instagram challenge. She called on locals to donate money for her high school alma mater, and within 72 hours $600 was collected.

Angelika Morris, 21, who is the BCHS Valedictorian Class of 2017, felt an urgency to help her high school teachers when she saw some of them post Amazon Wish Lists asking for classroom cleaning supplies that included products such as hand sanitizer.

As Morris adjusts to her new way of life, which includes taking online classes at Princeton instead of being on campus because of the coronavirus pandemic, and getting ready to move to Boston next week plus job searching, she still took time to help her high school community in Gulfport.

"I thought that was so heartbreaking, and even though we can't decide if schools can reopen or not, we can decide if we want to help our teachers," Morris told Patch. "I made an Instagram post calling all Boca Ciega alums to donate money to my Venmo so I could buy supplies, and in four days we raised $600."

On Wednesday evening, Morris and her mother, Dorothy Nattiel, arrived at Boca Ciega with a car full of boxes that contained the requested cleaning supplies. Principal Michael Vigue brought out a dolly and helped unload the many boxes.

Morris brought over 1.000 masks, 400 wipes, 118 gloves, 72 hand sanitizers, 42 bottles of cleaning liquid, 35 spray bottles, 25 boxes of tissue and some school supplies.

"You don't have to change the world to change someone's world," said Morris. "That's something I always grew up on, so especially as a college student I couldn't give $600 of my own money, but what I could do is post on Instagram and get people together."

Prior to graduating from high school, Morris was active as a volunteer in the St. Pete community with a volunteer group she founded, Angel's Bags. In 2017, Angel's Bag's handed out 360 sandwiches to those without homes in the downtown area.

"She has always loved people," said Nattiel. "The teachers here at Boca Ciega have done such an amazing job. We will forever be grateful, so whatever Mr. Vigue and the teachers need, we will be there for them because it is about them—not about us."

Morris uses her humble leadership skills at Princeton as she is the founder and president of Princeton University Black Pre-Med Society, and has received community service awards for her volunteer activism. She one more left to complete her bachelor's in medical anthropology. She has also been active in New Jersey by creating diverse mentor opportunities for Princeton students within the Black communities and minority communities.