Students at Warwick Academy yesterday gave more than $50,000 to the Red Cross' Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

An impressive $53,449 the largest donation by a school yet was presented to Bermuda Red Cross director Ann Spencer-Arscott, at a packed morning school assembly.

The students were able to raise the massive amount through a "three-pronged attack" said school principal Maggie McCorkell.

A grub day where students were allowed to wear casual clothing to school in exchange for a donation raised $9,602 for the nation, devastated earlier this year by a magnitude 7 earthquake.

The next initiative Warwick Academy undertook to raise funds was a pizza lunch.

Pizza House generously donated the pizzas and the students sold slices at lunch time.

One of the school's sports teams usually holds the pizza lunch to raise money for their team but gave it up this time in order to help the needy Haitians. The event raised a total of $1,705. However the most lucrative event was called 'Laps for Haiti', which was organised by some of Warwick Academy's senior students.

Ashley Berry, Hannah Keane, Nicole Nelson and Sarah Wight arranged for sponsored runners to complete laps around the school campus. 'Laps for Haiti' raised an amazing $31,521. In addition to the students' efforts, an anonymous company donated $10,000 through the school. And a consortium of parents from XL Capital Ltd. pushed the sum even higher with a donation of $621.

The cheques were presented to Mrs. Spencer-Arscott by primary six pupil Jonathan Hodkin and year 13 student, Ashley Berry. Jonathan received great applause for draining his bank account to make a $100 donation a considerable sum. Mrs. Spencer-Arscott congratulated the students. "You should all be very very proud of yourselves," she said. "You have done such a phenomenal job. I was absolutely shocked when the principal told me how much you had raised."

Added Jane Vickers, director of development for Warwick Academy: "We are absolutely thrilled about this and the kids are too. We have such an amazing family of students, parents and teachers at this school."