BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The French Club at Frontier High School held a coin drive for the Haitian relief efforts.

So far their coin drive has raised over $500 to be given to the Red Cross. Through the direction of their teacher, the students took it upon themselves to reach out and make a difference.

Hoping to cash in for the Haitian people, they went from class to class collecting coin donations and raised awareness on campus about their cause.

"All we asked for from students was their lose change, some people went as far as donating $20 bills or what ever they had in their wallet. It shows that a little bit from a lot of people can go a long way," said Korrine Stanley, teacher.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti has been called one of the worst natural disaster of our time. About 3 million people had been affected one-third of Haiti's population. The exact death toll is unknown. The group of local French students wanted to do their part to help, because they feel a special connection with the Haitian people.

"We did it as a French Club because the Haitian people are actually French (speaking), we felt we had some entitlement to them, because we are French-speaking students, we should help other french speaking students who are not a fortunate as we are," said Olivia Garrison, student. The student even spent their lunch hours collection and counting the funds and also made bracelets and sold them for a dollar. "I think our student body is very generous and concerned about the world around them. It's nice to see that in young people," said Stanley.

At the end of the day the lesson learned was about charitable giving and the Golden Rule. "I felt because we are as fortunate as we are, living where we do, living in a great country. We should be giving money to those who don't have any. What if we were in that situation, we would have somebody help us," said Garrison.

The coin drive has been going on for two weeks and so far they have raised a total $637.

The money will be given to the Red Cross next week.