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Wahoo Middle Schooler Puts Compassion into Action

Brent Tenopir Spearheads Dental Supply Campaign for Haiti Earthquake Relief

March 08, 2010

"I want to help."

Armed with a list of ideas and a heart full of compassion, Wahoo Middle School 8th grader Brent Tenopir eagerly jumped into the recent Haiti relief efforts.  

After expressing to a WMS classroom teacher that he wanted to help give some type of aid to the people in the earthquake-devastated country, Tenopir settled on collecting toothpaste and toothbrushes. 

He did some research on the effects of dental health on the rest of the body and that confirmed his idea.  

“They are getting their medical needs met, but they lost everything. They can’t even brush their teeth. I didn’t know that bad dental health could cause heart disease and other problems,” said Tenopir.

During the week of February 15, Tenopir urged middle school students to bring tubes of toothpaste and new toothbrushes to school. He manned a booth in the WMS commons area each evening during the school’s parent-teacher conferences. He sold fruit slushies during lunch to raise additional cash.  

He also ventured outside the school and asked local dentists to support his cause. Wahoo dentists Drs. Hart, Swanson, Glock and Vacek were very supportive, providing the 8th grader with many toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste.  

Finally, he asked Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., a national dental insurance company based in Lincoln, to participate. Mr. Scott Delisi, vice president of group dental sales for Ameritas, eagerly supported Brent by providing 200 toothbrushes for the cause.  

“This is a great cause and I’m glad to see our young people getting involved,” remarked Delisi.

With the cost of shipping being paid by Tenopir Lawn Service and funds from the Saunders County VFW Christmas Toy Drive, the supplies will be sent to Florida. The main airstrips in Haiti are closed to civilian travel. The supplies will be flown into the Dominican Republic by Agape Ministries, an Episcopalian missionary program, and then trucked into Haiti for distribution.

“This was quite a project that involved lots of people,” said classroom teacher John Harris. “Brent’s willingness to go the extra mile for people he’ll most likely never meet says a lot about his character. He’s a great servant leader with a big heart.”