SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Students of Sir John Franklin High School hope to raise $21,000 by the fall to build classrooms in Kenya and on Friday they're hosting their first community fundraiser event.

A night of food and entertainment will kick off at 7 p.m. at the Champagne Room on Franklin Avenue, and will run until 9 p.m.

Mikelle Wile, a 15-year-old French immersion student, is spearheading the event and says she was inspired to organize a service trip after her father and brother took part in one.

"The whole community there was involved," she said.

With $21,000 and the help of A Better World, an Alberta-based humanitarian organization, Wile wants to fund the construction of three new classrooms at Simotwet Primary School in the Kericho District of Kenya.

"We're not just some mystery donor. We're kids helping kids," she said.

"I love the connection that we have with them."

Currently, 16 students and six teachers are involved in the fundraising efforts.

Wiles hopes that in March 2012, a group of 25 will be able to go on a service trip to the school for the grand opening to see firsthand the work they did.

"These are things we don't see here in Yellowknife. You see it on the news but you can't really imagine what it's like," she said.

Mildred Hall is also fundraising to help buy desks, and Wile hopes that other schools will join in.

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