After hearing about the residents who lost their homes and kids who lost their schools due to Hurricane Isaac, Zachary Elementary Assistant Principal Trudy Johnson said she immediately knew what must be done.

"It touched me, you know it really hit home for me," said Johnson, who relocated to Zachary from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. "We met at once and put a plan into action of how and what we were going to do as a school to assist those affected."

Johnson, Principal Jennifer Marangos and about 28 other ZES faculty members, along with all the students, began planning a fundraiser to benefit the Lake Ponchartrain Elementary School located in La Place. The school serves grades PK-8th-grade students in the St. John the Baptist Parish School District.

"Everyone was on board and so eager to help out where help was needed," said Johnson.

For about a week, every student at ZES began bringing in money - every amount from two cents to $30, Johnson said. They performed hurricane-related skits each day over the P.A. system, signs were made, t-shirts were designed and a chart to document the amount of monies raised was made.

The students also learned about what happens to those affected by disasters, how they are affected and what it means to lose something like a home or place to live.

"Everyone has worked really hard - the students and the faculty - to make the ZES Has Heart hurricane relief effort significant," Johnson noted.

For their overall goal, they hoped to raise $2,700 but actually surpassed their goal and raised a total of $3,091.30!

Johnson said she was unsure whether representatives from Lake Ponchartrain would visit Zachary or if ZES would go to LaPlace.

"We're just happy to help another school out during a time like this. It means a lot to them, but it does much more for us," she said.