A Bermudian student used a project assigned by her school to make a $25,000 donation to a charity helping those with a debilitating disease.

Shakira Warner, an M5 Somersfield student, held an Auction of Bermudian Art along with afternoon tea at her family home in Bailey's Bay to raise money for the Bermuda Sickle Cell Foundation.

As a student in the Somersfield Middle Years Program one of the requirements to graduate is the completion of a personal project.

Each M5 student must choose a topic, which interests, them to complete a creative project and a 4,000 word written presentation explaining what they have done, how they planned the project and carried it out- both problems and successes.

The culmination of all of the projects, which the students have been working on since early April, is the Personal Project Fair, which was held on December 15 last year.

Miss Warner said: "My parents are huge collectors of Bermuda Art and I chose the Bermuda Sickle Cell Foundation because my brother has it and he had a stroke a couple of years ago and there were a lot of expenses and so I thought this would help others."

The auction featured work by over 20 Bermudian artists such as Otto Trott, Vernon Clarke, Angela Gentlemen and Sharon Wilson and it managed to raise over $25,000 for the Bermuda Sickle Cell Foundation.

"A few of the artists were hesitant when approached by a 15 year old high school student, however when they realised how organised she was," said Heather Wood, IB Coordinator for the Middle Years program, "they gave 52 pieces of artwork."

Organisation included planning the day with her committee of three, creating a budget and a proposal, which is all coordinated with an advisor at Somersfield.

Miss Warner added: "I sent invitations to art collectors, Masterworks, the Bermuda Society of Art and on the day I laid out a preview of the art inside my house and then everyone went outside for tea and the auction.

"Leonard Gibbons was the auctioneer."

She managed to get the pieces on consignment from the artists and the difference between the reserve and the auctioned price was given to the Foundation.

The auction sold 47 pieces of art and was a stunning success for Miss Warner raising over $25,000 for a project very close to her heart.