Although he’s only 7 years old, Bridgeport Elementary School’s Logan Pickett is already a disaster relief dynamo.

After hearing his grandmother, Bridgeport teacher Linda Pickett, talking about a statewide blanket drive for victims of Hurricane Sandy, Logan decided to reach out to his fellow students.

Last year, “I did the same thing, but I made little gift bags for tornado victims in Kentucky,” he said. “I know people lose stuff when the hurricane comes, and I guessed they would be cold.”

He made a flier, hung it around the school and passed one to every teacher in the building, all with the support and encouragement of Principal Vicki Kowalk.

“We are working to develop student leaders,” Kowalk said. “We want even the young students to step up on projects like this.”

Indeed, on the final day of Logan’s blanket drive, which garnered more than 100 blankets to be forwarded to Matthew 25 Ministries for distribution, fellow student Carley Wyatt started a coat drive.

“When students see other students acting on their good ideas, they come up with their own,” Kowalk said. “They’re working to be good citizens.”

The Hamilton City School District’s Character Education program also encourages acts of charity and compassion, so Bridgeport was not alone in chipping in to help out victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Brookwood Elementary “adopted” Calabro Elementary in Hoboken, N.J., and started a drive to collect coats, hats and other “winter stuff,” said Principal Terri Fitton.

“It began when Mrs. (Betsie) Ostermyer’s class sent their Halloween candy to a class there because Trick or Treat was cancelled,” Fitton said. “Our whole school wanted to help and the principal there said that many of the families still didn’t have electricity and it was getting cold.”

Ridgeway Elementary used their regular Change for Charity Day to set up several booths collecting for Red Cross for hurricane relief purposes, thus anyone in the school could donate to those particular booths.

The Change for Charity Day, held three times a year, allows any student to fill out an application to open a store during the lunch period.

“They can sell baked goods, craft items they have made, etc.,” said Principal Kathy Wagonfield. “At one of the booths a young lady would paint your initial on a rock with some fancy designs.

“It’s interesting because the kids really have some charities that are close to their hearts for various reasons and this is their time to give back,” she said.

Highland Elementary also turned over one of their regular fund-raising programs, “Part of the Change,” to hurricane relief, according to teacher Susan Damm.

“Our goal is to raise $500,” she said. “In grades K-3, students will bring change to their teacher and a running record of the money collected will be kept. The class that brings in the most change will win an ice cream party.

“In grades 4-6 it will be more of a competition,” she said. “Each homeroom will have a jar to collect change” and garner points.

But if a competing class puts a dollar bill in a jar, 100 will be deducted from that class’s total.

“This results in a ‘Penny War’,” Damm said. “This should be a fun competition and help us achieve our goal.”

The Penny War will last from the return from Thanksgiving until Dec. 14.